If you’ve ever had a weekend away in Canberra or Melbourne made by zooming around on an electric scooter, you’re not alone. These speedy, easy-to-master electronic vehicles are nothing if not fun, and through app-based rental platforms like Lime and Beam, they’re easy to come by in some of Australia’s major cities. The Harbour City, though, is a notable exception – e-scooters haven't been seen legally on Sydney streets since a 2021 trial was put on hold. In exciting news for some (alarming news for others), these open-air vehicles could be a fresh feature on Sydney streets – with a trial in Kogarah looking promising.
Though the use of electronic scooters (apart from on private property) is still illegal in NSW, Transport for NSW trialled electric scooter sharing in Sydney Olympic Park, Lake Macquarie and the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan back in 2022. The success of these pilots has paved the way for an additional trial in Kogarah – with more attention being paid to the mode of transport pointing to a potential rollout across the city.
Since January 10, 2024, Kogarah residents (and visitors) have been able to jump on one of the approved Beam scooters and jet around the designated trial area on bike paths, shared paths and roads. A speed limit of ten kilometres per hour applies on paths, and on the road, you can zoom along at up to 20 kilometres per hour. If you’ve invested in an e-scooter of your own, your route is still limited to your garden – only the shared scooters are permitted, and riders must be 16 years or older.
The government is considering introducing e-scooters on Sydney streets as part of its Toward Zero campaign, which aims to bring road deaths in the state towards zero – so irresponsible scooting won’t be taken lightly. The government has explained that they’ll “evaluate and monitor each trial location”, but ultimately, e-scooters should help Transport for NSW on its mission to cut traffic and emissions within the city. What does that mean for us? If all goes well, we might see more trials roll out across the city soon.
You’ll cop a $120 fine if you’re caught riding one of the trial scheme scooters outside of the designated trial area, so plan your trip accordingly. Learn more about NSW’s e-scooter trial over here.
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