Melbourne Council Ditches E-Bike and E-Scooter Trial Amid Widespread Complaints

A six-month trial of shared e-bikes and e-scooters has been scrapped by Darebin Council in inner Melbourne following overwhelming negative feedback from residents. The decision marks the end of shared e-scooter services north of the Yarra River.

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Throughout the trial, residents continued reporting e-scooters and e-bikes blocking footpaths, parked incorrectly and creating accessibility issues, riders with no helmets, e-scooters and e-bikes travelling on footpaths

During the trial, council officers recorded 14,725 trips, averaging 98 per day. However, Mayor Emily Dimitriadis reported that 93% of the feedback received was negative. Common complaints included e-scooters and e-bikes blocking footpaths, improper parking, accessibility issues, riders not wearing helmets, and devices being ridden on sidewalks.

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It's the modern-day monorail. Councils are being duped into thinking that this solves transport woes.

While council officers noted that most users utilized the service to connect with public transport and that usage peaked overnight, parking proved to be a significant problem. Inspections revealed that 30% of designated parking bays contained "untidy parking," with devices toppled or misplaced. The scheme also exceeded its budget, with the council spending $50,000 on setup and additional funds on administration and management, despite receiving $18,000 from the operator, Lime.

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Particularly for the so-called last mile journey, to get people home from the train or tram or bus

Residents voiced strong opposition, with one petition against the scheme gathering 1,227 signatures. Concerns were raised about navigating around abandoned devices, particularly for those with prams or needing access to train stations. However, some argued for the trial's continuation, highlighting environmental benefits such as an estimated 1.16 tonnes of carbon emissions saved and the potential to reduce car journeys, with 37% of trips reportedly replacing car travel.

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