International e-scooter provider Neuron Mobility said its Bundaberg launch has been one of its most successful yet with more than 10,000 trips in less than a week.
The e-scooters were launched over the Easter long weekend and not even the wet weather could dampen the enthusiasm of locals and visitors who gave the e-scooters a whirl in Bundaberg and Bargara.
Neuron has e-scooters across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and South Korea but said the Bundaberg Region had been one of the most successful launches in the company’s history.
The Bundaberg Region e-scooter operation has already created more than 20 local jobs with a further five people set to be hired in coming weeks.
Over 500 people also participated in safety briefings in Bargara over the launch weekend with Neuron’s ScootSafe Team.
Bundaberg Regional Council sport and recreation portfolio spokesperson Cr Vince Habermann said it was pleasing to see so many people embrace the new initiative.
“The 12-month trial of this e-scooter program in our region is a wonderful opportunity for our residents to experience something new that is usually only offered in metropolitan cities,” Cr Habermann said.
“With our wonderful climate and our many attractions these scooters could prove to be another drawcard.”
Cr Habermann said he understood there had been some teething issues and community concern during the program’s early stages.
“The operation is only in its first week and I urge residents to have patience as the community learns how to safely operate the scooters and the newly employed local staff learn the ropes.
“The company has demonstrated that they have an established process to manage these issues in other areas of Queensland and Australia.”
The Scootsafe team will be back in Bargara on Saturday April 10 between 10am – 4pm, near Turtle Park.
Neuron has encouraged people to go down and say hello and learn about the riding rules and the e-scooters.
Bundaberg Regional Council has granted Neuron Mobility a permit to operate a commercial activity on Council land, but Neuron remains wholly responsible for the operation of the e-scooter program.
For more information about e-scooters or to report an issue contact Neuron Customer Support Team on 4887 3993 or by emailing bundabergsupport@neuron.sg.
Other news: Scoot Safe events to get ride ready
Turtle Park is the wrong location Councillor Habberman there are too many small children there.
Just asking a very serious question, as we had to avoid a rider (no helmet) going wrong way on a cbd roundabout. If one of these scooters hits a pedestrian or vehicle will the victim be covered by scooter insurance?
I am very concerned about the number of young children using these scooters. Some as young as ten. Had an experience where ten year old was waddling in front of my bike. If he had fallen we would have had a bad accident. On another day a young boy fell on the footpath near Bargara Central. Some control should be in place about the age of riders I believe they should be 16 years before they can ride these scooters.
Hi all, yes I also had a bad experience with four riders on the road over the south side, all of them in the middle of the road. What happens if you hit one and they got hurt or worse? I’m not happy with them at all. They are young kids ( idiots) that are riding them .
But are they road legal in the UK?
Reply to Sandra Monk
My first response was culled probably because it told the truth.
The minimum age for e scooter riders is 18 but a 12 year old guided me through the hire process. A NEW scooter customer must first download the company app and enter their registration details. Someone younger than 18 simply lies about their Date of Birth. Neuron e scooters carry third party insurance in the hire fee but any insurance claim is negated if the hiring customer has made a false disclosure. The not at fault third party has then to chase the under age rider for compensation which will never be successful.
E-Scooters are fantastic
1. Cheaper then Cabs
2. More Convenient then buses & cabs
3. Great for getting a few things from the shop
4. Can be parked on footpath
5. Staff could use them to get to work freeing up parking spaces.
Yes there’s a chance of hitting them but it’s no more likely then if you hit a person on a motorbike clearly there’s issues with no helmet. Might be a good idea to use them on the footpath mostly to reduce chance of being hit. Pedestrians rarely have problems with Scooters, skateboards & rollerblades they should all be able to join us on the footpath.
Maybe they could remove the age limit replace it with a speed limit instead for under 18 year olds. These would still be effectively useful at 10KM/h (a slow jogging pace) & that gives both the rider & others around them more time to react.
I walked past these they seem like a good idea. Thought maybe they could tether a helmet to it? Could be the start of converting the CBD into a pedestrian/scooter mall with many of us riding on these Scooters?
A large car park would need to be built to replace the car spaces.
Would be great if they increased the operation area so I could shop at Stocklands or Bunnings then head to the beach. Add southside Central, East shopping areas & upto the racecourse you’d have most of the shops intown covered. Shopping in Bundaberg has improved there’s tons here now.
I guess with a scooter I could park outside the CBD & use it to get back to my car. No need to find a park in Bourbong street
Would be quite easy for the company to get you to take a photo of yourself next to the scooter you want to use then upload a photo of your ID as well. Everyone has either a Passport, Drivers license, proof of age card, student card or birth certificate.
These scooters are actually really cheap to buy & run I’m surprised they have not replaced cars for almost everything. Alot of us buy our groceries online nowdays the car is seeing alot less use. Would make alot of sense with Bundaberg’s parking issues you could fit like 12 of these in 1 car park.
Like Ron Bridges, I have concerns about the insurance of such a commercial venture. Council have stated that they have allowed these scooters to be used on council land. I assume this is footpaths, laneways etc. The moment someone is hurt and seeks a remedy to their injury council will be named as a co-defendant in a common law action. So who pays in the end? I imagine it will be the Bundaberg ratepayer. I am not against ideas such as these scooters but I think it is important to truly understand what potential liability exists with such a commercial arrangement.
Using it on the footpath seems safest to add to that what would help is if riders stayed wide of shop entrances & slowed down near drive ways to give us time to see them. Council could make a shared lane on the footpath for them to use as well.
If someone is riddng right in front of a shop exist you are going to hit shoppers. At least 1 – 2 meters away so shoopers have time to look when exiting the shop.
As for legal issues these scooters are being used in bigger cities all we have to do is take a look at what happened there & what they did. People drive mobility vehicles everywhere just fine often with no slow downs or even looking out for others.
Reply to Graham Colthorn
Re Paragraph 2. our previous home was Ballina. Elderly Lady Mobility scooter rider hit another elderly lady as she exited the news agency on River Street and broke the pedestrians hip. Then came the legal throng. Compensation… The injured lady had a lower level of Private Health Cover but she couldn’t afford the Gap. The driver of the mobility scooter had no level of resources to be successfully sued but Ballina Council didn’t have a policy for use of unregistered mobility scooters operating on public footpaths and I imagine the legals dined out long and hard and the ratepayers paid up.
Same with the new scooters. This is a trial. Usually safety is well considered before a trial is begun. BRC is very quiet. Gold Coast Council, Sunshine coast Council and Noosa Council all rejected the TRIAL approaches leaving only some Bundaberg Council precincts, Townsville and Brisbane CBD to continue.
I understand from Channel 7 TV news last night that a scooter rider had a collision with a motor vehicle and was transported to hospital. As scooterists are not allowed to travel on roads, the motorist must have mounted the kerb and hit the scooterist on the footway. Yeah ?
Damage to the car or scooter or medical expenses for the scooter driver… Who pays ? car driver loses their no-claim bonus, hirer ? dependant on their age but unlikely if they were scootering on the roadway bet you it is BRC ratepayers
We should just stop stalling & put a light rail through the town there’s already a train track in Quay street that could be reused for part of track to reduce cost.
The concerns regarding liability are going to be with us for ever and a day.
It’s totally immaterial whether the scooter is a rental or privately owned.
All scooters should be licenced and covered by public liability insurance if used in a public place. Let the insurance companies police their policy holders and the police those that use or abuse thesystem