Moved by Councillor Phelps, seconded by Councillor Vithoulkas –

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council note:

(i)          electric scooters are currently illegal to use in public spaces in NSW;

(ii)         the City is currently one of eight Sydney councils reported to be in discussion about hosting e-scooter trials;

(iii)        the City of Sydney's dense population and historic city infrastructure mean that our footpaths are not designed for motor vehicles, and provide e-scooter companies with different conditions than in Queensland and South Australia;

(iv)       while data collected from the use of Lime bikes has demonstrated that there is demand for convenient, motorised mobility vehicles, they pose a great risk to public and pedestrian safety should they be ridden irresponsibly and on footpaths; and

(v)         it is Council's responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive City for everyone; and

(B)        the Chief Executive Officer be requested:

(i)          in any consideration of e-scooters in the Sydney local government area, that pedestrian safety be prioritised by advocating e-scooters be banned from footpaths;

(ii)         to discuss with NSW Police the enforcement of helmet use by e-scooter users;

(iii)        to consult with RMS, Transport for NSW and NSW Police about what if any legislation covers and what capacity if any exists to allow the e-scoots to use local and state roads and the cycleways; and

(iv)       to provide Councillors with the safety data of e-scooter use from other cities.

Note – the above motion was not carried. The resolution below was carried.

It is resolved that:

(A)        Council note:

(i)          electric scooters are currently illegal to use in public spaces in NSW, however, the NSW Government has introduced a Working Group to advise on how e-scooters could be appropriately trialled;

(ii)         the City currently has no plans to participate in a trial;

(iii)        the NSW Government were planning a trial in the Northern Beaches in late 2018, but this did not proceed;

(iv)       the City is involved in a Working Group on issues related to the potential conditions for a trial, such as where the devices could operate (roads versus paths); helmets; device power; speed limits; licensing; road rules, enforcement and penalty levels; equipment including brakes, lights and warning devices; insurance; crash response and reporting;

(v)         this Working Group reports to a Steering Committee – which advises the Minister for Transport and Roads. The City is not represented at the Steering Committee;

(vi)       the Federal Government has introduced a Non-Road Vehicle classification of Personal Mobility Device which clears most e-scooters for importation and supply under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act;

(vii)      the City of Sydney's dense population and historic city infrastructure mean that our footpaths are not designed for motor vehicles, and provide e-scooter companies with different conditions than in Queensland and South Australia;

(viii)     while data collected from the use of Lime bikes has demonstrated that there is demand for convenient, motorised mobility vehicles, it is important for providers and users to continue to prioritise pedestrian and user safety;

(ix)       there is considerable evidence to suggest e-scooters may have significant benefits to the City including: zero-emissions transport, congestion reduction, and growth in active transport use. All these potential benefits are in alignment with Council’s Environmental Action 2016 – 2021 Strategy and Action Plan;

(x)         it is Council's responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive City for everyone; and

(xi)       the City’s position is that:

(a)        while e-scooters remain illegal, it will not engage in a trial;

(b)        if a trial framework was introduced by the NSW Government for a shared e-scooter scheme, the City would support participating in a trial if the City’s requirements were accommodated within the operating conditions;

(c)         in particular, there are likely to be significant safety issues in the City compared to other locations, and riding on the footpath should not be considered in the City trial due to the dense pedestrian environment; and

(d)        any trial should seek to maximise the environmental and transport benefits to the City, in alignment with Council’s Environmental Action 2016 – 2021 Strategy and Action Plan; and

(B)        the Chief Executive Officer be requested to provide an update of the City’s involvement on the e-scooter Working Group.

The motion was carried on the following show of hands –

Ayes (8)     The Chair (the Lord Mayor), Councillors Forster, Kok, Miller, Phelps, Scott, Scully and Thalis

Noes (1)     Councillor Vithoulkas.

Motion carried.  

S129263

 

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