Future of E-scooter trial in Melbourne and Victoria

Despite hundreds of crashes and tickets, e-scooters have been granted an extension to stay on the roads.

A year-long trial in parts of Victoria that was due to end on February 1 will run until at least March 31 while its impact is assessed.

Victorians will be allowed to continue to drive battery-powered rental scooters from approved providers on roads and cycle lanes in certain areas of the council.

This is despite the fact that e-scooters were involved in 252 crashes and riders received 827 tickets between December 1, 2021 and November 30, 2022.

Victoria is set to continue testing e-scooters in Melbourne and Ballarat (file image pictured)

Police confiscated 15 privately owned e-scooters.

Most of the fines were imposed for driving on a sidewalk (275), while 208 were for not wearing a helmet and 136 for carrying more than one person.

Victoria Police reminded passengers that there were restrictions on the use of e-scooters.

“Passengers are reminded that privately owned e-scooters remain prohibited on public roads, bike lanes and sidewalks,” police told the herald sun.

“E-scooters supplied by approved test operators are only allowed to be used in areas approved by the local government.”

Electric scooters continue to be illegal or have highly restricted use in most Australian urban areas (an electric cyclist in London pictured)

Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip are the municipalities that allow the widest use of e-scooters.

Another e-scooter trial in the Victorian town of Ballarat in the Central Highlands has also been extended to March 31.

Neuron Mobility, one of two participants in the trial, said Victorians had “adopted” electric scooters, with more than 3 million kilometers driven since launch.

“The overwhelming majority of people drive responsibly and the feedback has been positive,” he said.

Although e-scooters are considered a motorized vehicle in Australia, they cannot be insured or registered (file image pictured)

“Electric scooters are a great way for locals and tourists to get around in a safe, convenient, and environmentally friendly way.”

Neuron claimed that a recent survey showed that 45 percent of e-scooter rides replaced a car ride.

A Queensland man was handed the heaviest penalty ever on an electric scooter in Australia in November after passing a startled cyclist at 94km/h without a helmet.

Brisbane cyclist Scott Lewis was riding on a cycle path alongside the Western Freeway on September 12 when his bike camera caught the moment daredevil electric cyclist Owen Bagi, 36, flew past him. .

Owen Bagi (above) lost his driver’s license for six months after he was filmed riding an electric scooter at 94km/h without a helmet.

When questioned by Mr Lewis, Bagi said he had been traveling at 94 km/h because he was “trying to get to work”.

Bagi was driving a Dragon Warrior X11 that is advertised as an ‘off-road’ vehicle that is more motorcycle than scooter and can reach speeds of 100 km/h.

Police charged Bagi with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle after deciding Queensland’s maximum fine of $575 for e-scooter speeding offenses was not harsh enough.

Bagi then attended court and told the magistrate that he was going 30 mph when he passed Mr. Lewis, but he passed at over 56 mph on a straight with no other cyclists around.

He was given the minimum penalty for a dangerous driving violation, a six-month ban on his driver’s license.

Despite e-scooters being considered motor vehicles, standing means of transport do not comply with Australian Design Rules and therefore cannot be registered or insured.

Rules on popular devices vary from state to state in Australia, with some banning scooters while others place a list of strict requirements on cyclists.

Electric bicycles are legal since they have pedals as the main means of propulsion and are only assisted by a motor.

In NSW, the only place e-scooter users can take their device for a spin is on private property, with shared paths, sidewalks and cycle lanes strictly prohibited.

These strict new rules also apply to gas-powered bicycles, motorized scooters, mini or ‘monkey’ bikes, segways, electric skateboards and hoverboards.