Wellington e-scooter renting to continue

The Wellington City Council has agreed to extend licences for the city’s e-scooter rental companies till the end of the year.

It also decided to restrict scooter speeds on shared waterfront pathways to 15km/h – enforced by geo-fencing technology to be installed on the scooters.

A survey by the council showed most people support e-scooter use, but people are concerned about their risks to safety, especially other pathway users such as pedestrians.

About 38% of more than 6000 who participated felt unsafe when sharing a footpath with e-scooters.

E-scooter rentals became available in Wellington from June 2019, with Flamingo and Jump licensed to operate for a six-month trial.

A survey held during the trial revealed about two-thirds of respondents had used an e-scooter, more than 60% saying the e-scooter rental scheme had a positive or very positive impact on the city.

E-scooters were used to replace car trips or taxis and about 82% of the 280 people covered in that survey said they would continue to use them.

Wellington northern ward councillor Dr Jenny Condie, responsible for roading and transport, says the NZ Transport Agency’s ‘Accessible Streets Regulatory Package’, designed to improve footpath safety and encourage active transport such as e-scooters and e-bikes, will make a big difference.

Similar to Auckland, Wellington is considering pop-up bike lanes during the COVID-19 restrictions.

E-scooter parking will also be considered.