{"id":631271,"date":"2024-08-17T22:20:01","date_gmt":"2024-08-17T19:20:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/why-melbournes-e-scooter-ban-is-a-wrong-turn-away-from-safe-sustainable-transport\/"},"modified":"2024-08-17T22:20:01","modified_gmt":"2024-08-17T19:20:01","slug":"why-melbournes-e-scooter-ban-is-a-wrong-turn-away-from-safe-sustainable-transport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-melbournes-e-scooter-ban-is-a-wrong-turn-away-from-safe-sustainable-transport\/","title":{"rendered":"#Why Melbourne&#8217;s e-scooter ban is a wrong turn away from safe, sustainable transport"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a406fc271bb2\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a406fc271bb2\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-melbournes-e-scooter-ban-is-a-wrong-turn-away-from-safe-sustainable-transport\/#Private_e-scooters_greatly_outnumber_shared_ones\" >Private e-scooters greatly outnumber shared ones<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-melbournes-e-scooter-ban-is-a-wrong-turn-away-from-safe-sustainable-transport\/#Regulated_shared_e-scooters_are_safer\" >Regulated shared e-scooters are safer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-melbournes-e-scooter-ban-is-a-wrong-turn-away-from-safe-sustainable-transport\/#E-scooters_cut_emissions_and_congestion\" >E-scooters cut emissions and congestion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-melbournes-e-scooter-ban-is-a-wrong-turn-away-from-safe-sustainable-transport\/#Governance_is_a_neglected_issue\" >Governance is a neglected issue<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2024\/e-scooter.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2024\/e-scooter.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2024\/e-scooter.jpg\" alt=\"e-scooter\" title=\"Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Melbourne City Council voted to break its contracts with operators of shared e\u2011scooter schemes this week, citing safety concerns. It seems these concerns have usurped the long-term transport and environmental gains from moving towards sustainable transport. A year ago, the city <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.melbourne.vic.gov.au\/media\/boosting-e-scooter-safety-all-melburnians\">reported<\/a> emissions had been cut by 400 metric tons since trials of these e\u2011scooters began.<\/p>\n<p>                                                                                                                                    Shared e\u2011scooters only became available to Melburnians <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vicroads.vic.gov.au\/safety-and-road-rules\/e-scooters-in-victoria\/e-scooter-trial\">in early 2022<\/a>. But electric scooters have existed for more than a century. They were very popular on public streets in the United States after motorized scooters first <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/history\/motorized-scooter-boom-hit-century-dockless-scooters-180971989\/\">appeared in 1915<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>However, their <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@TechKnowDistribution\/a-short-history-of-e-scooters-ae133a05bd6a\">use for criminal getaways<\/a> soon marred their reputation. The opportunity for a lower-emission, more equitable form of transport was lost, until now. It could be lost again because of knee-jerk reactions to concerns about their safety.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, shared e\u2011scooters have safety features that individually owned ones often lack. Shared e\u2011escooters cause fewer serious injuries than bicycles or motorcycles, according to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.odt.co.nz\/news\/national\/acc-claims-e-scooter-accidents-top-30m\">New Zealand accident compensation data<\/a>. In Australia, while there has been a <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1111\/ans.18814\">rise in numbers<\/a> treated in hospitals for e\u2011scooter injuries, no distinction is made between shared and private e\u2011scooters.<\/p>\n<p>                                                                                                        <!-- TechX - News - In-article --><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Private_e-scooters_greatly_outnumber_shared_ones\"><\/span>Private e-scooters greatly outnumber shared ones<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Today, an estimated <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/public.ridereport.com\/\">15,000 shared e\u2011scooters<\/a> are in use across Australia and New Zealand. No official figures are available for private e\u2011scooters, but there are likely to be many more of them.<\/p>\n<p>Segway, a globally dominant maker of e\u2011scooters, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sfexaminer.com\/news\/as-e-scooter-industry-matures-riders-move-from-renting-to-buying\/article_1506da74-18e3-11ed-aef7-0b6c7b077bb4.html\">reported<\/a> it had sold 8.5 million private versus 1.5 million shared e\u2011scooters by 2022. In the United Kingdom, an estimated <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pacts.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/PACTS-The-safety-of-private-e-scooters-in-the-UK-Report-5.0.pdf\">360,000 private e\u2011scooters<\/a> were bought in 2020. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/infoshare.stats.govt.nz\/\">New Zealand Statistics<\/a> reports roughly 400,000 e\u2011scooters were imported from 2018 to 2023.<\/p>\n<p>One can assume, then, that private e\u2011scooters similarly outnumber shared e\u2011scooters in Australia. And the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pacts.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/PACTS-The-safety-of-private-e-scooters-in-the-UK-Report-5.0.pdf\">distinction between rental and private e\u2011scooters<\/a> is an important one in the debate about safety.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Media<\/a> reports on shared e\u2011scooters in Melbourne have concentrated on two key subjects: launching trials and safety. Recent coverage refers to significant incidents and injuries. This creates a perception that e\u2011scooters are much less safe than other transport modes.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Regulated_shared_e-scooters_are_safer\"><\/span>Regulated shared e-scooters are safer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The first thing to note is these reports don&#8217;t distinguish between shared and private e\u2011scooters. This matters because the shared e\u2011scooter market is highly regulated in Australia.<\/p>\n<p>Their operators are required to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>provide helmets for riders<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ly speed limiters so they don&#8217;t exceed safe speeds<\/li>\n<li>geo-fence e\u2011scooters to limit where they can <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">travel<\/a><\/li>\n<li>use pedestrian-detection <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">technology<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In contrast, private e\u2011scooters are not registered. They have different quality specifications and can have larger motors, often exceeding regulated engine outputs that vary from state to state. Importantly, private e\u2011scooters lack the advanced technologies used on shared e\u2011scooters to monitor rider use.<\/p>\n<p>There is little to no regulation or quality control over the private e\u2011scooters Australians can buy. Some models seen on the streets can exceed the legal speed limit. All that&#8217;s stopping them speeding is rider responsibility and police oversight.<\/p>\n<p>Hospital records of e\u2011scooter injuries do not distinguish between private or shared e\u2011scooter riders. That&#8217;s also true of injury reporting and statistics, due to the way authorities collect crash statistics.<\/p>\n<p>Yet <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.acc.co.nz\/newsroom\/media-resources\/road-injury-statistics\/\">reported injury statistics<\/a> for New Zealand indicate that the rate of serious injury while using a shared e\u2011scooter is lower than for other modes of transport. Far more people suffered soft tissue injuries from rollerskating and skateboarding (5,344) than from riding e\u2011scooters (1,119), for instance. Nine times as many bike riders incurred a head injury or concussion (681) compared to e\u2011scooter riders (76).<\/p>\n<p>Better infrastructure is also vital for e\u2011scooter safety. A 2020 International Transport Federation (ITF) <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.itf-oecd.org\/sites\/default\/files\/docs\/safe-micromobility_1.pdf\">report<\/a> found 80% of e\u2011scooter crashes occurred at intersections, and 70% during the day.<\/p>\n<p>The findings are not surprising when scant attention has been paid to delivering safe e\u2011scooter infrastructure. In Melbourne, for example, some lanes available for e\u2011scooter riding <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.theage.com.au\/national\/victoria\/interesting-change-of-heart-premier-takes-aim-at-city-e-scooter-ban-20240814-p5k2an.html\">end abruptly<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>                                                                                                        <!-- TechX - News - In-article --><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"E-scooters_cut_emissions_and_congestion\"><\/span>E-scooters cut emissions and congestion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The most important issue arising from the City of Melbourne&#8217;s ban is the role e\u2011scooters (and e\u2011bikes) can play in shrinking cities&#8217; huge carbon footprints. In addition, e\u2011scooters can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>reduce traffic congestion<\/li>\n<li>improve access to public transport<\/li>\n<li>provide more efficient transport for shorter trips<\/li>\n<li>remove the need for car parking<\/li>\n<li>improve air quality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The City of Melbourne pointed solely at the safety concern to justify its ban. The city instead needs more proactive policies to integrate shared e\u2011scooters into its mobility mix. This would have delivered all the public good of this transport mode.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Governance_is_a_neglected_issue\"><\/span>Governance is a neglected issue<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Much of the research on e\u2011scooters in cities focuses on sustainability and safety. Governance (policies, rules and regulations) is largely overlooked.<\/p>\n<p>Operating governance structures are established following a traditional operator licensing pathway. This approach is now being questioned.<\/p>\n<p>What has been lacking is broad engagement with all stakeholders, including the public. The focus should be on balancing the benefits and burdens of shared e\u2011scooters.<\/p>\n<p>E\u2011scooters are a particularly <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S295010592400007X?via%3Dihub\">valuable form of transport<\/a> for young people and those on low incomes or with a disability. The social justice they provide has been neglected. Predictably, then, the focus has been on the burdens, including safety.<\/p>\n<p>                                                                                                                                            Another problem is the widely varied approaches around Australia to regulating e\u2011scooters. There isn&#8217;t even a consistent definition of e\u2011scooters.<\/p>\n<p>It appears governance decisions, which include ending operator licenses, aren&#8217;t using reliable evidence to avoid knee-jerk reactions.<\/p>\n<p>For widespread sustainable and safe e\u2011scooter use, there needs to be:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>better governance and rider safety education<\/li>\n<li>more consistent and specific recording of e\u2011scooter incident and injury data<\/li>\n<li>an appreciation that riders are vulnerable road users who deserve safe infrastructure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A comprehensive, inclusive assessment of benefits and burdens is needed. We may then establish more clearly the sustainability and equity benefits, manage the safety concerns and arrive at more consistent policies and definitions across Australia.<\/p>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium my-4\">\n                                                Provided by<br \/>\n                                                                                                    The Conversation<br \/>\n                                                                                                        <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\"><br \/>\n                                                        <svg>\n                                                            <use href=\"https:\/\/techx.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v2\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n                                                        <\/svg><br \/>\n                                                    <\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"article-main__note mt-4\">\n                                                This article is republished from <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\">The Conversation<\/a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/why-melbournes-e-scooter-ban-is-a-wrong-turn-away-from-safe-sustainable-transport-236781\">original article<\/a>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/counter.theconversation.com\/content\/236781\/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced\" alt=\"The Conversation\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\"\/>\n                                            <\/p>\n<p>                                        <!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>                                                <strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n                                                Why Melbourne&#8217;s e-scooter ban is a wrong turn away from safe, sustainable transport (2024, August 17)<br \/>\n                                                retrieved 18 August 2024<br \/>\n                                                from https:\/\/techxplore.com\/<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>\/2024-08-melbourne-scooter-wrong-safe-sustainable.html<\/p>\n<p>                                            This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n                                            part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/science\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/techxplore.com\/news\/2024-08-melbourne-scooter-wrong-safe-sustainable.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Credit: Unsplash\/CC0 Public Domain Melbourne City Council voted to break its contracts with operators of shared e\u2011scooter schemes this week, citing safety concerns. It seems these concerns have usurped the long-term transport and environmental gains from moving towards sustainable transport. A year ago, the city reported emissions had been cut by 400 metric tons since&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":631272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2024\/e-scooter.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-631271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/631271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=631271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/631271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/631272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=631271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=631271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=631271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}