The NSW government is taking the first steps towards legalising electric scooter use throughout the state, as the form of transport grows in popularity.
Under the current electric scooter laws, NSW residents can only ride e-scooters in public from approved rental companies in designated council trial areas. Use on private property is not restricted by law.
According to the NSW Minister for Transport Jo Haylen, there’s a plan to address “a regulatory blindspot” not many people know about.
“There are already 1.35 million e-micromobility devices in homes across NSW,” Minister Haylen said in a statement. “Almost 460,0000 of these are e-scooters. But only 22% of people across the state know it’s illegal to ride e-scooters on our roads and streets.”
Electric scooters are seen as an accessible mode of transport, particularly for people with disabilities. The NSW government also views legislating the transport option as a potential way to reduce road traffic congestion. Electric scooters aren’t without criticism, though, with safety concerns a big issue.
Although there’s no legislation on the table yet, the recently published draft rules are fairly consistent with other states that permit public electric scooter use. Based on these rules, NSW commuters would be able to ride on shared paths, bike paths, and on roads marked 50km/h or less.
16 years old is the proposed age limit, the same as most states. Queensland is the notable exception, allowing children as young as 12 to ride electric scooters in public under adult supervision. To encourage electric scooter use, the Queensland government recently offered a rebate of up to $200.
Parliamentary hearings are currently taking place to solicit feedback on the NSW government’s draft rules. There’s no set date for any potential law changes yet; more information is available on the government’s E-micromobility website.
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