Scooter Share Roundup: Micromobility at Heart of UN Safety Week
Micromobility takes centre stage in the 7th UN Global Road Safety Week, which has adopted the slogan #RethinkMobility.
The annual road safety event, from 15th to 21st May, is highlighting the need for governments to facilitate a shift to walking, cycling and using public transport.
It calls on governments and their partners to invest in walking, cycling and promoting the use of public transport, “which can promote equity and health for people and the planet”.
The World Health Organisation says road safety is both a prerequisite for this shift to happen and an outcome of it.
“Safety must be at the core of efforts to reimagine mobility – this puts road safety at the core for all road users,” WHO says.
“Thus road networks must be designed with the most-at-risk in mind – children, adolescents, persons with disabilities, pedestrians, cyclists, and users of public transport.”
Neuron Continues Commitment
In Australia, e-scooter share service provider Neuron Mobility is marking UN Road Safety Week 2023 by renewing its commitment to the Safer Streets for All campaign in collaboration with the Australian Road Safety Foundation (ARSF), RAC WA and Blind Citizens Australia (BCA).
In the third year of the campaign, Neuron is building on its continued efforts to highlight how riding and parking responsibly can help improve safety outcomes for different members of the community.
Neuron’s safety ambassadors conducted in-person training at a full-day Road Safety Starts With Me Youth Summit in Perth on Tuesday, hosted by the Road Safety Commission, as well as at a ScootSafe workshop in Busselton on Thursday.
Riders are also earning incentives by completing a Parking Whiz Quiz on Neuron’s online riding school, ScootSafe Academy.
In consultation with BCA, Neuron has produced a range of education materials – including light-hearted videos with serious messages – to encourage riders to be considerate of pedestrians, especially people with impaired vision, wheelchair users and the elderly.
The videos are being promoted to Neuron users across Australia through social media and rider emails.
Beam Backs National Week
Global Road Safety Week 2023 coincides with Australia’s National Road Safety Week (14th – 21st May) and another provider, Beam, is utilising the domestic event to remind riders that even the safest vehicles require safe riders.
Beam’s new campaign is running across social media, Beam’s app and digital channels and reiterates six key riding rules:
- Wear your helmet
- Don’t use your phone while riding
- Don’t drink and ride
- Give way to pedestrians
- Don’t share an e-scooter – one rider per vehicle
- Park responsibly after use
“Through constant innovation and investment in bringing new technology such as footpath detection, drink-riding deterrence tests and other industry-firsts to Australia, we are consistently breaking new ground with e-scooter safety and enforcement,” Beam general manager Tom Cooper said.
“However, every e-scooter requires an even safer rider, which is why we invest equally in our education programs, focusing not just on those who ride on one of our purple e-scooters, but also those riding on other shared e-scooters and on privately-owned e-scooters.
“With e-scooters here to stay, we call on every rider to take five minutes to refresh themselves on the riding rules in their city, and contribute to making their streets a safer space for all.”
Lime Extends Insurance
Coinciding with National Road Safety Week, Lime has bolstered the insurance on its vehicles to cover third parties – even when a rider violates road rules – and is calling on its peers to implement similar insurance programs.
The insurance upgrade also comes in the wake of Melbourne’s extended share scooter trial and is complemented by a new safety campaign, Lime Responsibly, featuring billboard promotions throughout districts when Lime services are operating.
“Long-term investment into messaging, advocacy and education is imperative to create an even more successful experience for both riders and members of the public,” Lime says.
Neuron Chosen for Sunshine Coast Trial
Neuron Mobility has been selected to provide e-scooters and e-bikes in Maroochydore and Mooloolaba as part of an 18-month trial with Sunshine Coast Council. A gradual rollout of up to 400 of Neuron’s e-scooters and up to 75 e-bikes will start in June.
The company says it will invest significantly into the city, creating approximately 30 jobs to be recruited locally.
The Sunshine Coast will be the sixth city in Queensland to benefit from Neuron’s e-scooters, with the company already running operations in Brisbane, Townsville, Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Yeppoon.
Sunshine Coast Council CEO Emma Thomas said the trial is in line with the council’s Environment and Liveability Strategy to foster healthy, smart and creative solutions to how people live and move around the region.
“As more people move to our beautiful Sunshine Coast, it’s important to protect our amazing lifestyle,’’ Emma said.
“Council aims to strike a balance between the natural environment and the transport needs of residents across the Coast.’’
Beam Bursts into Broome
Beam last week expanded its services into Broome, rolling out 300 of its purple e-scooters.
Its operating area includes Chinatown, Town Beach, Cable Beach, Cable Beach tourism precinct, Old Broome, Djungun and Bilingurr.
Broome Shire President Desiree Male said e-scooters are already a common sight around the northern WA city because they provide a quick, convenient, and economical way to travel short distances.
“I expect they will be popular with locals, but their real value will be in making Broome more accessible to visitors who want to experience more of what our town has to offer,” she said.