Warning over $3,300 road fine Aussies can receive without being in a car
Experts agree e-scooters are a sustainable and effective way of travelling, but governments around the country remain at odds over their use.
As Australia's most populous state deliberates legalising the controversial e-scooter, merely weeks after other jurisdictions banned the devices, a prominent solicitor has warned of the steep fines in place for those caught misusing them.
In NSW, e-scooters can be legally purchased but cannot be used on public streets or footpaths. Privately owned scooters can only be ridden on private property. Shared e-scooters can be ridden in some parts of the state under a trial program, including in parts of Kogarah, Albury, Forster and Wollongong.
It's this "blind spot" the state government seeks to close under draft legislation released on Monday. The 58 proposed actions include exploring the possibility of legalising e-scooter use on streets and roads, requiring the use of a helmet, and banning e-scooters for under 16s.
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said with more than 1.3 million "e-micromobility devices" in NSW, only 22 per cent of riders knew e-scooters were illegal to ride on the street. "It’s a strange regulatory blind spot, and it has to change," she said.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Sydney lawyer Avinash Singh agreed with Haylen's remarks. He said the rule meant many residents using the devices currently risk fines between $344 and $3,300, if they're found to have ridden them inappropriately.
"In my experience most people are shocked to find out that e-scooters are illegal to ride in NSW. The most common complaint we hear is that there is a lack of information provided by the government about them being illegal to ride," he told Yahoo.
"An e-scooter cannot be registered in NSW. Because they are illegal to ride there is no scheme under which they are regulated or registered."
Steep fines in place in NSW for improper e-scooter use
In the state, a person can be fined $686 for using an unregistered or uninsured e-scooter, in addition to $344 for not wearing an approved helmet, $572 for driving unlicensed and an incredible $3,300 for driving one while suspended or disqualified.
The proposal would force e-scooter riders to give way to pedestrians on shared paths and adhere to a 20km/h speed limit on shared and bike paths and on the road. Riders would also be subject to a 0.05 blood alcohol limit and relegated to roads with a 50km/h speed limit despite many e-scooters able to reach speeds up to 100km/h.
As many as 459,00 e-scooters and 570,000 e-bikes were in use across NSW, the state government said, with 91 per cent of people saying they were convenient for travel.
Councils 'blindsided' by proposed law changes
Meanwhile, councils across the state say they've been "blindsided" by plans to legalise the devices and argue they should not have to bear the brunt of regulating and facilitating their use, representatives have told an inquiry.
Enabling safe, electrified transport options is the focus of the inquiry that began with public hearings on Tuesday, following trials of various schemes around the state.
In submissions to the inquiry, council officials said there was community support for better public transport and fewer cars, but concerns were raised about people riding and leaving scooters and bikes on footpaths.
Northern Beaches residents were car-dependent and often objected to developments over concerns about being able to find a park at the beach, an issue shared mobility services could potentially address, the council submitted.
Motor vehicles remain the major safety risk, City of Sydney access and transport executive manager Sebastian Smyth told the inquiry, and separated cycleways would increase active transport uptake if the state supported more construction.
Representatives from two of three shared mobility operators who appeared before the inquiry said they had participated in stakeholder consultations with Transport for NSW. Councils and operators both said the state needs to play a larger role to build infrastructure and provide regulatory framework for consistency across broader areas.
Rules for e-scooters vary from state to state
While experts and environmentally-conscious Aussies agree, e-devices are a sustainable and effective way of travelling, people have long been divided over the rollout, particularly in major cities. Some say they go too fast and are dangerous, while others are all for them.
In Queensland, WA, and ACT e-scooters are permitted to travel at a maximum speed of 25km/h on bike paths, shared paths, and local roads, with reduced limits on footpaths.
In NSW and SA, privately owned e-scooters are not permitted on public roads or paths. In Victoria, e-scooters were recently banned within the City of Melbourne LGA — which encompasses the CBD and inner city — but Victorians are still able to use them in other areas. In Tasmania permit holders can use e-scooters to travel up to 15km/h on footpaths and 25km/h on roads and cycle paths.
With NCA Newswire, AAP
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