Hobart City Council is to pull e-scooters off its footpaths in favour of e-bikes over safety and behaviour fears raised by residents.
The council says its shared micromobility program will shift from mixed hire (scooters and bikes) to smaller e-bikes.
It will soon call for tenders for a shared e-bike service in the city which will emphasis smaller, more compact e-bikes that are better suited to Hobart’s streets and footpaths.
Acting Hobart Lord Mayor Dr Zelinda Sherlock says that data from their micromobility program shows there is strong public interest in electric, and convenient, travel.
“However, it has become clear that a mixed e-scooter and e-bike hire model is not the best fit for Hobart,” he says.
Council’s Transport Committee chairman Cr Ryan Posselt says “an e-bike only model is expected to improve safety and better integrate with cycling infrastructure”.
Council says the program has been in place since 2021 and reduced short car trips, cut back on emissions and proven popular with residents and visitors.
It says usage data shows that during a 15-month period from December 2024 to February 2026, there were around 13,300 trips a month covering 16,660 kilometres.
HOBART FOOTPATH PARKING
Hobart council says there have been ongoing regulatory, safety and behavioural concerns raised, with parking on footpaths proving a common concern for residents.
E-bikes, on the other hand, are generally used as transport and not as a recreational device, resulting in more compliant behaviour.
Council says their decision is in keeping with national and international trends as other cities increasingly favour e-bike shared schemes.
Queensland is moving to restrict e-mobility devices by age (over 16 years) and licensing, imposing speed limits (10km/h on footpaths and 25km/h unassisted) and greater powers for police to seize devices.
The Queensland Government has tabled a Bill before parliament to legislate the changes.
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