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Posted: 2024-08-22 21:32:38

Inner Melbourne councils are putting pressure on the City of Melbourne to reverse its decision to end its contracts with e-scooter hire companies, as they announce their own e-scooter plan.

The mayors of Darebin, Merri-bek and Moonee Valley say their councils will form an inner-north mobility zone for share hire e-scooters and e-bikes to offer cheap transport options to their communities.

Their decision comes just over a week after City of Melbourne councillors voted to break contracts six months early with share hire e-scooter companies Lime and Neuron in response to safety concerns. 

The ban, to take effect within 30 days, was seen as a blow for the rollout of e-scooter networks in other Australian cities. 

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece was adamant the decision was a direct reflection of warnings from frustrated traders, residents and emergency department doctors and said he was "fed up with bad behaviour putting our community at risk". 

However on Friday morning, Darebin mayor Susanne Newton, Merri-bek mayor Adam Pulford and Moonee Valley mayor Pierce Tyson announced their own plans to make e-scooters and e-bikes available. 

City of Darebin mayor Susanne Newton called on the City of Melbourne to reverse its decision.

"I'm feeling disappointed in [the City of] Melbourne but I'm actually very proud of Moonee Valley and Merri-bek and Darebin," she told ABC Radio Melbourne.

"We do work as a group of M9 inner-Melbourne councils and I would really urge them to reconsider. 

"It is so much better for connectivity if we can get through the city and to the city - that's where often people are wanting to go." 

Orange scooters parked on a footpath in front of a bayside view.

Three inner-Melbourne councils are going it alone on share hire e-scooters in spite of a looming ban in the CBD.  (ABC News: Iskhandar Razak)

Cr Newton said despite dangerous behaviour on e-scooters which was the reason for the City of Melbourne's decision to ban its contracts with hire companies, she was confident the benefits would outweigh the risks.

"I've spoken to the providers and I'm pretty comfortable with the technology that they're using to reduce speeds, make sure people park in particular places," she said.

"We see huge opportunities for e-scooters and e-bikes particularly in that east-west connection where all the public transport tends to be more north-south."

Moonee Valley mayor Pierce Tyson said he was hopeful trials in his other council areas could encourage the City of Melbourne to reassess its decision down the track.

"Look at Brisbane, look at Sydney. [E-scooter hire] has been running there for quite some time quite successfully. I think it's probably here to stay," he told ABC Radio Melbourne.

Orange scooters parked on a CBD street on a grey overcast day.

E-scooters in Melbourne's CBD will be banned by mid-September. (ABC News: Iskhandar Razak)

In a joint statement the three councils said they wanted more transport options for their residents and would work together on "parking and compliance issues" that had been experienced in existing trials by neighbouring councils.

They have not specified when an inner-north e-scooter zone could be in operation, however Darebin council has allocated $50,000 for a small trial across Northcote, Fairfield and Alphington by June next year.

Merri-bek and Moonee Valley councils are yet to formalise their plans.

Yarra and Port Phillip councils are also running e-scooter trials. The inner-north zone would include Yarra, as it borders with Darebin and Merri-bek.

The councils' plan to create an inner-Melbourne e-scooter zone has the state government's support, which expressed disappointment last week at the City of Melbourne's hire e-scooter ban. 

"E-scooters have proven to be an effective way to travel across Melbourne's CBD – they reduce carbon emissions and provide shift workers a safe way to travel at all times of the day," a government spokesperson said.

The Victorian government is introducing new laws to require councils that choose to operate share hire e-scooter schemes to select hire companies from a vetted list. 

E-scooter companies will have to comply with safety technology and insurance obligations.

The government also plans to increase penalties for e-scooter offences and introduce a new offence and penalties for riding as a passenger on an e-scooter by October.  

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