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South Australia to legalise private e-scooters

20 June 2024

by Christopher Carey

Privately owned e-scooters and other “personal mobility devices” will soon be allowed on South Australian roads and pavements after the state government voted to approve an amendment to current legislation.

The changes, which the government said will put e-scooter regulations in line with bicycles, are set to come into effect early next year.

Hired e-scooters have been allowed in the state’s largest city Adelaide since 2019, but privately-owned devices are still illegal to ride on roads and can only be used on private property.

Speeds will be limited to 25kmph on roads, separated lanes and bike lanes and 15kmph on pavements.

Users will also have to be at least 16 years old and helmets will be required.

South Australia Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis said he expected widespread uptake of scooters and that the rules could be adjusted “in line with the evidence”.

“Our consultation with e-scooter users and the broader community showed a clear appetite for an ongoing use of e-scooters and other personal mobility devices like e-skateboards and unicycles to be used in public spaces.

“Following commencement of the Bill, personal mobility device fleet hire operations are expected to continue and possibly expand to other locations across the state.”

The new legislation follows a consultation last year with private e-scooter users and the broader community where 87 percent of respondents said they supported the use of e-scooters on public roads and paths.

Age limits

Current state laws permit e-scooters only under trial conditions in the Adelaide city region in partnership with e-scooter fleet operators.The city’s e-scooter trial is operated by two companies – Beam and Neuron – and users must be aged 18 or over.

Koutsantonis said he intends to reduce the age limit for private e-scooters to 16 but this can be altered.

“If we find that 16 is too young and that there are injuries occurring because 16-year-olds are having a higher frequency of crashes than others, we may look at it and lift the age limit,” he added.

“If people are on footpaths at excessive speed, police can make an assumption – that they believe that they were speeding over the speed limit – and they can issue an infringement notice the way they do now.”

Adelaide city council extended its trial in April 2024 but several councillors had voiced concerns about delays to state legislation for e-scooters being used on roads and pavements.

Image: maxim-mushnikov-unsplash

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