The City of Melbourne Council are expected to move a motion at Tuesday night’s meeting cancelling the city’s contracts with Lime and Neuron, scooter e-hire companies..
A two-year trial that has seen over 1,500 hired e-scooters available throughout Melbourne. During this time many complaints have been made, including them blocking footpaths and endangering pedestrians.
Lime and Neuron will be given 30 days’ notice of the contract’s cancellation.
Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece had previously supported the introduction of e-scooter use but has become increasingly frustrated with the problems they have caused.
“The shared e-scooter scheme has been popular in Melbourne, but there has also been serious issues,” he told The Age. “Riders continue to break the law, endangering others and themselves, creating a nuisance on our streets.”
Victoria police fined almost 300 riders during a two-day enforcement in Melbourne’s CBD in May. There have also been 1964 fines given out since the e-scooters inception at the end of 2021.
Former deputy lord mayor of Melbourne Arron Wood told Sunrise he agreed with the proposed removal.
“Sadly, what we’ve seen over this two-year trial in Melbourne is hundreds of people have ended up in the emergency room department with serious injuries.”
Photo: Lime e-scooters by Mack Male is available HERE and is used under a Creative Commons Licence. This image has not been modified.