More Victorians will soon be able to rent and ride e-scooters as part of a State Government program to understand how the devices can be safely incorporated into the transport network.
From 1 February, 1,500 e-scooters will be rolled out across the City of Melbourne, City of Yarra and City of Port Phillip municipalities for one year.
The City of Ballarat is also running a 12-month electric scooter trial program.
Two of Australia’s leading micro-mobility operators, Lime and Neuron Mobility, are operating the trial, providing residents and visitors with another safe, accessible, eco-friendly and cost-effective way to travel.
E-scooters can travel up to a maximum speed of 20 km/h on bicycle lanes, shared paths and low speed roads, and will not be allowed on footpaths. Â
“Along with applying new e-scooter vehicle standards, the Lime and Neuron trial will have a strong emphasis on safety – including in-built technology to promote responsible riding, and specialised training and safety messages for new users,” the VicRoads said in a statement today.Â
“Riders must adhere to most of the same rules as bike riders, including wearing a helmet and slowing down to give way to pedestrians on shared paths. Â
“Geofencing technology will also enforce certain ‘no go’ and ‘go slow’ zones where speed limits are restricted in high-traffic shared areas and show riders where e-scooters can be parked and located.” Â
For more information on how to safely use e-scooters, visit the VicRoads website.