Fringe Academies to Head Off Bad Scooter Behaviour

Adelaide, South Australia

Who said road safety is no laughing matter?

Share scooter operator Beam is continuing its partnership with the Adelaide Fringe for a third consecutive year, teaming up as the festival’s official e-mobility partner.

This year’s partnership is launching a ‘Summer of Safety’ campaign featuring SA celebrity Andrew ‘Cosi’ Costello and Fringe artists.

‘Cosi’ will host two Beam Safe Academies during the festival, on Thursday March 10 and Friday March 18, offering free training sessions for riders to test out their e-scooter skills in a supportive – and fun – environment.

No bookings are required for the academies, being held on:

• Thursday 10th March, 5.30 – 7pm at Village Green, Oxford Terrace & Rugby Street, Unley SA
• Friday 18th March, 5.30pm – 7pm at Victoria Park/Pakapakanthi, Fullarton Road, Adelaide

The academy program has been developed in partnership with national safety experts and forms part of Beam’s community engagement efforts to educate riders on local riding rules and safe handling of e-scooters.

Academy participants will learn safe operating and manoeuvring skills, such as how to turn, brake and signal to other riders and pedestrians. The training will be conducted on a specially designed circuit and all participants also receive $5 in free-ride credit for completing the course.

Beam riders can also get five minutes of free-ride time for completing an in-app Beam Safety Quiz on riding and parking rules.

As the Fringe’s official e-mobility partner, priority Beam parking spots will be set up at key festival events, including popular festival locations such as Gluttony, Garden of Unearthly Delights and Bartels Road. 

Beam data shows the number of riders on the streets of Adelaide is set to double during the Fringe.

Beam is also investing in 24-hour Safety Ambassadors on the streets throughout the Fringe, engaging with riders and encouraging safe riding.

The Fringe’s creative director and CEO, Heather Croall, said she hoped the partnership would allow audiences to see more events across the CBD, enhancing their Fringe experience and driving audiences to venues throughout Adelaide.

$128 Million Funding Round

Beam announced on Wednesday it raised a Series B funding round of U$93 million (A$128 million), led by private equity firm Affirma Capital.

The investment will enable Beam to accelerate the deployment of its fifth-generation Saturn e-scooters, featuring Micromobility Augmented Riding Safety (MARS) technology, into Australia and NZ.

They also feature 12-inch wheels, 20% larger than the average e-scooter, hydraulic suspension and fully swappable batteries with a riding range of 110km.

The company also announced it will create 500 new jobs in Australia in 2022 and will establish a research and development hub in this country.