Get your scoot on: The NSW e-scooter shared scheme trial could soon roll ahead in Parramatta, after it received the green light at a recent council meeting.
Earlier this year, the State Government announced a trial of e-scooters to be carried out in NSW and urged interested councils to submit a request to participate. If the request is approved, councils can then begin allowing selected e-scooter rental companies in the selected areas.
Trials have already begun in the western Sydney Parklands and the Australian Botanic Garden in Mount Annan.
At the latest City of Parramatta Council meeting, councillors agreed to submit a request to participate to Transport for NSW, with an initial trial location along the Parramatta Valley Cycleway if approved.
Pending successful operation of the devices in this area for an initial three-month period, Council will then consider expanding the area to the greater CBD.
The trial could also occur in Olympic Park and the suburbs of Wentworth Point, Carter Street Precinct and Newington. However, the Council would have to coordinate with the Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) in order for the trial to go ahead.
As the Parramatta Valley Cycleway follows the Parramatta River, Cr Kellie Darley voiced her concerns that the e-scooters will end up dumped at the bottom of the river.
“People pushing the [e-scooters] in, unfortunately it’s going to happen, and I just don’t want to see us pulling more rubbish out of the river,” she said.
“Putting it along the river I really think is going to cause a lot of issues and the feedback I’ve got from the community is that there are already concerns down there, this is just going to add to it.”
Cr Patricia Prociv said she understood the concerns about the e-scooter trial in Parramatta, but said if every concern was acted upon “we would never leave home”.
“I’m sure that in Parramatta, when we work with the NSW Government and the active transport scheme, that we will be able to get e-scooters as an integral part of active transport in this city, and it will set us up for a future of being a green city,” she said.
“It’s really important for us to have improved infrastructure in our city, we need dedicated bike lanes, pedestrian areas and areas for different types of transport.
“Active transport has to be the way forward for every city, we cannot rely on cars.”
Transport for NSW has said the e-scooters will not be permitted to operate on footpaths, only on roads with 50km/h or lower speed limits, or on shared paths and bike lanes.
All users must be 16-years-old or over to hire an e-scooter and are required to wear bicycle helmets. Speeds will be limited to 20km/h on bicycle paths and roads, and 10 km/h on shared paths.
Currently, it is illegal to use e-scooters in public places in NSW outside of these trials.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.