E-scooters

People want to use e-scooters

Electric scooters (or e-scooters) offer mobility and access for short journeys.

E-scooter from Lime. Image credit: Lime.

Problem

A problem with e-scooters is people leaving them in the middle of the footpath, which obstructs people walking, or people rolling in a wheelchair.

As a wheelchair user, I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to have these blocking footpath‘s all over the area! It seems like they’re multiplying weekly!

Shane Hryhorec
E-scooter obstructing a footpath. Image credit: Shane Hryhorec via Facebook.

Suggestions

One solution is for people to report illegally parked e-scooters to council, upon which council can collect them and fine the fleet operator, who could then pass the fine onto the last user.

Another solution is for council to convert one on-street parking bay on each street into a corral for e-scooters and share bikes. The fleet operators (Lime and Neuron) can require users to park in designated corrals, because e-scooters have GPS tracking. The fleet operators can also pay a rental fee for the corrals, similar to the fee for parklets. Other cities have implemented corrals, for example the photo below is from 2019.

Example on-street corral for e-scooters and share bikes. Image credit: Washington DC District Department of Transportation.

Use of parking spaces

The idea of reallocating space away from on-street parking, toward other other applications that support mobility and access, can be extended. For example, each street could convert five parking bays, i.e. one each for:

  • Corral for shared e-scooters and e-bikes
  • Hangar for private e-cargo-bikes
  • Loading, e.g. deliveries
  • Disabled parking
  • Car sharing

1,000 locations across Yarra

If this was done at 1,000 locations across Yarra, it would enable a corral to be located within 150 metres of any property. Also, the bays would use just 10% of of Yarra’s 47,000 on-street parking bays, leaving the remaining 90% for car parking.

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