Wheels Up

Listen to Today's Edition:

The Australian city of Melbourne moved to ban e-scooter rentals this month over safety concerns and their chaotic impact on the city’s sidewalks, a decision that mirrors similar restrictions for the electric vehicles around the globe, even as cities try to become more ecologically-minded, the Guardian reported.

Last week, the city’s council voted in favor of ending contracts with two e-scooter operators, Lime and Neuron, and gave them 30 days to remove the vehicles.

The ban comes more than two years after the state of Victoria – where Melbourne is located – began a two-year trial with e-scooters, promoting them as an “accessible, environmentally friendly and cost-effective way to travel.”

While Melbourne officials previously said the trial has helped cut carbon emissions by more than 400 tons, Mayor Nicolas Reece noted the local government had received a large number of complaints from residents, traders and visitors, many demanding an end to the experiment.

Reece cited concerns about the misuse of the vehicles, such as scooters being ridden on sidewalks, poor parking behavior and accidents.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital reported 256 e-scooter-related injuries in December 2023, including a fatal crash. In 2022, nearly 250 e-scooter riders were taken to the hospital’s emergency department, with intoxication, speed and a lack of helmet use being major risk factors.

While some supported the prohibition, others suggested that the scheme needed tighter controls rather than an outright ban. Meanwhile, companies Lima and Neuron expressed disappointment at the city’s decision, while also proposing different solutions to promote safety.

Despite Melbourne’s ban, the Victoria government announced that from October, public e-scooter schemes would be permanently legal in the state, with tougher rules and penalties for violations, including fines for riding on sidewalks, failing to wear helmets, and riding under the influence of alcohol.

Meanwhile, Melbourne’s move is not isolated, according to CNN.

Paris banned rented e-scooters in 2023, while the Danish capital of Copenhagen initially banned them in 2020 before reintroducing them with stricter rules. Barcelona has also imposed restrictions due to safety concerns.

In 2022, Italy’s capital, Rome, tightened e-scooter regulations because of public concerns and heritage protection issues. That year, two Americans were fined $800 for damaging the Spanish Steps by throwing rental scooters down them, resulting in about $26,000 in repairs.