Georges River Council is excited to announce it will be the first council in the Sydney metro area to trial shared e-scooters, marking the start of a 12-month trial with e-scooter provider Beam.
Kogarah will become the sixth council in NSW to take part in the shared e-scooter program, when the trial launches on 10 January 2024.
Riders aged 16 years and older will be able to hire a Beam e-scooter in Kogarah’s designated trial area, focused around the town centre.
Locals and visitors will be able to scoot to existing bus and train stations, St George Hospital, St George TAFE, Jubilee Stadium and community services and cafes in Kogarah town centre.
The shared e-scooters include geofencing technology that controls where e-scooters are ridden and how fast they can travel, as well as ensuring they are parked appropriately.
The shared e-scooters will be limited to 20km/h on roads within the trial area which have a speed limit of 50km/h or less. E-scooters are not permitted on footpaths.
Georges River Council and Beam will host a come-and-try safety workshop at Kogarah Town Square on Friday 15 December 2023 for the community to learn about shared e-scooters. Another community workshop will be held at the same location on Saturday 6 January 2024.
Currently, only e-scooters provided through a shared scheme are permitted for use in approved trial areas, privately owned e-scooters cannot be used in public areas.
Council has formed a shared e-scooter Local Working Group with local authorities, including Transport for NSW, NSW Health, St George Police, St George Local Business Chamber, local bus services and Council representatives to manage the trial.
Georges River Council Mayor Sam Elmir said, “Georges River Council is thrilled to host an e-scooter trial and explore micro-mobility technology in Kogarah.
“As we pride the Georges River area as Sydney’s Connected Community, our residents already enjoy the convenience and efficiency of the 30-minute city due to the concentration of homes and jobs around train stations across Georges River.
“As we grow, place-based planning for innovative public and private transport measures is required to make it easier for people to get to facilities and services, and between our employment centres.
“A number of our residents have requested this trial as another active transport option to reduce car use, emissions, and reduce traffic in our community in alignment with Council’s Environmental Resilience Action Plan. Environment is our top priority, and this mode of transport could have a positive impact on Georges River.
“We welcome trialling safe, convenient and tech-savvy transport options for our residents and visitors to get around our city centres efficiently for shorter commutes.”
NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said, “This is an exciting step forward for our transport network, not only in Kogarah but for all of NSW, as we trial a new way of getting around.
“E-scooters are being used around the world as a convenient and sustainable alternative mode of transport, and I look forward to seeing locals and visitors embrace this technology from 10 January.
“Whether you’re zipping into Kogarah’s town centre, to Jubilee Stadium or transiting to a local train station or bus stop – remember to strap on a helmet, stay off the footpaths, and ride responsibility – and most of all have a bit of fun.”
Beam’s General Manager (ANZ) Tom Cooper said, “We’re thrilled to be delivering Kogarah’s first-ever shared micromobility operations and bringing our industry leading e-scooters to the region.
“We will be introducing our industry-leading Saturn 5 e-scooter, with features like wireless phone charging and auditory alerts, as well as improved geo-fencing capabilities to ensure safe operation of micromobility alongside other modes of transport.
“As we prepare to commence our operations in Kogarah, we are committed to forming partnerships with local community members and organisations, and engaging in discussions around the safe operation of e-scooters to ensure the safety of riders, pedestrians and other road users.
“We know e-scooters are new to the community, and we are committed to working closely with the local community to ensure riders know their responsibilities when on an e-scooter.”
For a , and to find out more about e-scooter trials in NSW visit: page.
