In a bid to safely introduce the popular electric scooters in NSW, the state government will be trialling the product in four Western Sydney locations. The first shared trials will begin on Saturday at three locations in Western Sydney Parklands’ Bungarribee Park, Lizard Log and Shale Hills, as well as The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan. E-scooters are currently banned in NSW but allowed in Victoria, ACT, the Northern Territory and Tasmania.
Despite some safety concerns, Minister for Active Transport Rob Stokes said the trial would be conducted with caution and in safe environments.
“Like any new technology, e-scooters present us with enormous opportunities and several challenges to address before we can permanently permit them on our streets,” Mr Stokes said.
“This is why the NSW Government is committed to trialling them and why our parklands are the perfect location to start ahead of trials across multiple council areas.”
He also mentioned that councils can now formally apply to hold a 12-month trial with selected e-scooter shared scheme providers in their area.
“The trial is restricted to shared scheme e-scooters, so we can guarantee the safety parameters of each device,” he added.
In order to safely phase in the e-scooters, there will be a restricted speed of 20 kilometres an hour with compulsory helmets and only riders above the age of 16 allowed to participate.
“Each shortlisted council will have to meet the requirements of the trial and undergo a safety assessment before being approved,” Mr. Stokes added.
Councils are invited to request participation in the trial and about 37 have expressed interest so far. You can read more about NSW’s e-scooter shared scheme trial here.