Australia is the world’s largest island but the smallest continent, and it is divided into 6 states and 2 territories. The 6 states are New South Wales (NSW), Victoria, Queensland (QLD), Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania—and 2 internal territories—the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
In this series called Australia Rules, we will tackle the Dos and Dont’s, the Rules and Regulations of electric scooters in Australia and its 8 major areas and how free one can be to ride it. For this article, let’s begin with New South Wales or more commonly known in its abbreviation NSW.
NSW is a state on the east coast of Australia. Its bustling capital is Sydney, which is additionally Australia's most crowded city. In December 2021, the populace of NSW was over 8 million, making it Australia's most crowded state.
With this fast-growing populace, there is now a requirement for e-scooters in order to assure the well-being of each citizen and their safety. E-scooters also help the country respect mother nature by decongesting the city’s traffic. To safely manage the use of e-scooters, Transport for NSW: Centre for Road Safety will be currently responsible for evaluation and monitoring as they are the one enabling the trial of e-scooter shared schemes beginning July 2022 that’s expected to run for a year.
Each portion of Australia possesses a distinct and extraordinary beauty, and compared to many other countries around the world, it encompasses an exceptionally high standard of air quality. It is for the most part among the cleanest within the world, in spite of the fact that NSW is helpless to short-term extreme pollution spikes (like bushfires and dust storms) and recently, constant pollutants from coal-fired power stations and motor vehicles. Because of this there is a dire need for Australia to maintain the quality or it will slowly deteriorate in the coming years. One way to keep the air clean is through micromobility devices, which is currently being fought for in all states of Australia.
Micromobility Devices
Micromobility devices starting definition were vehicles with a net weight of less than 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) but later on evolved to exclude internal combustion engines. These vehicles include bicycles, e-bikes, electric scooters, electric skateboards, shared bicycle fleets, and electric pedal assisted (pedelec) bicycles. Fundamentally, micromobility devices are mainly a range of small, lightweight vehicles driven by the users themselves because for the most part, it can only carry one rider.
General Trial Rules & Tips
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Particulars |
Do’s |
Don'ts |
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E-Scooter Usage |
DO use shared e-scooters hired through an approved e-scooter provider on NSW roads or related areas, such as shared paths, in trial areas since this is only what is permitted. |
DO NOT use privately owned e-scooters since they are currently not allowed on NSW roads or related areas (including in trial areas). |
|
Awareness |
DO be aware of your surroundings when riding an e-scooter and look out for each other, give way to pedestrians and undertake safe behavior during the trial. DO stay left when riding. |
DO NOT ride UNPREDICTABLY for your own safety and indicate clearly, so other people are aware of your intentions. |
|
Passageway |
DO use bicycle lanes and paths (stay under 20km/h), shared paths (stay under 10km/h) or on roads that have a speed limit up to 50 km/h (but ride with care and precautions). |
DO NOT use footpaths because it is illegal. |
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Helmet |
DO wear an approved bicycle helmet at all times when riding an e-scooter. |
DO NOT ride an e-scooter without an approved helmet |
|
Lights |
DO use the e-scooter lights when riding in darkness or hazardous weather conditions. |
DO NOT ride an e-scooter without lights or broken lights. |
|
Alcohol and Drugs |
DO have a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit of 0.05 applied when riding an e-scooter and make sure you are sober. |
DO NOT have illicit drugs present in the system or ride while under influence. |
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DO know that if you are caught drinking or drug riding, you may have serious penalties apply and you may face consequences for your driver’s license. |
Rider’s DO NOT need a driver’s license to ride an e-scooter, however they are very much subject to the same drug driving offenses as motor vehicle drivers. |
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|
Presence |
DO wear brightly coloured clothing so other road users can see you easily. |
DO NOT camouflage yourself with the darkness to avoid accidents. |
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Alert Others |
DO ride predictably and indicate clearly, so other people are aware of your intentions. |
DO NOT be spontaneous, always make sure you are seen by vehicles around you. |
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Insurance |
DO know that shared e-scooter scheme operators are required to have appropriate insurance cover for their devices. DO consider insurance for personal injury or property damage however this is not a trial requirement. |
DO NOT ride an e-scooter if you are not aware of the requirements needed to be a rider. Be responsible. |
Current live NSW e-scooter trial locations are at Western Sydney Parklands and Australian Botanic Gardens. And each location has specific trial rules.
In Western Sydney Parklands:
* E-scooters are permitted on shared paths only
Australian Botanic Gardens
* E-scooters are permitted on the roads only.
Citizens of New South Wales are hopeful and expectant that soon, new laws will take place that can allow more flexibility with e-scooters with safety still a priority.
