By Oliver Lees
A discussion about bringing an e-scooter trial to Hume divided opinion among councillors at a meeting held last week, with council ultimately resolving to investigate the pros and cons of the two-wheeled experiment.
Meadow Valley Ward councillor Naim Kurt raised the topic at a council meeting on February 14, suggesting that the alternate transport method could be useful for residents combatting the “huge issue” of traffic congestion.
Cr Kurt said he became curious about exploring the option of having electric scooters in Hume, after he used the mode of transport during a recent visit to Canberra.
“It was a fantastic way to get around that was cheap and made movement easy,” Cr Kurt said.
“I didn’t have to rely on vehicles and going on the road and getting into traffic.
“Perhaps having e-scooters will be a way to take some of the traffic off the roads and help people to get out to school or get to work quicker.”
The state government’s e-scooter experiment began in December 2021, when the first trial was brought to Ballarat. Since then, the trial has expanded to Melbourne, as well as the Yarra and Port Phillip council areas.
The Department of Transport used a select criteria in choosing its initial trial locations.
This took into account the council’s location, geography, population density and tourism benefits.
Specifically, local government areas chosen for the trial needed to have a considerable network of 50km/h roads with suitable bike lanes.
Cr Jim Overend said while he could see the appeal of the trial elsewhere, he felt strongly that Hume’s infrastructure was not cut out to accommodate it.
“There’s a place for these e-scooters, inner-Melbourne … Carlton, Fitzroy, it’s all set up for it,” Cr Overend said.
“Here, the traffic is terrible.
“We’re opening ourselves up to a lot of headaches, a lot of deaths, a lot of misery to families.”
A state government spokesperson told Star Weekly that they will await the results of the current trial locations before potentially expanding into other local government areas.
Hume council will independently prepare its own report regarding the costs and benefits of introducing e-scooters.
It comes as police took to social media earlier this week to remind people of the rules around using e-scooters after a Jacana man was charged with driving and drugs charges after being spotted riding an electric scooter on a footpath in Roxburgh Park.
Police said that e-scooters cannot be used on any road related areas, including footpaths, share paths and public areas if scooter
• is powered by a petrol motor
• has an electric motor with a maximum power greater than 200 watts
• has a maximum speed greater than 10 km/h.
Scooters also cannot be
• used on pedestrian side of separated paths, but can be used on footpaths
• used on roads with dividing lines or median strips
• used on roads with a speed limit of more than 50lm/h
• used on the road at night, except to cross the road, e.g. at an intersection. (this rule does not apply to scooters with lights)
• towed or used in the slipstream of another vehicle
• used where there is a ‘No Wheeled Recreational Devices or Toys’ sign.
