Melbourne Council finally ends e-scooter program amid rising complaints

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• By Avi Yemini

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In response to growing public dissatisfaction and safety concerns, the City of Melbourne has voted to terminate its e-scooter program within the central business district.

The decision, which was made at a Future Melbourne committee meeting on Tuesday night, reflects frustrations over riders' disregard for the law.

Lord Mayor Nick Reece led the push to end the e-scooter contracts with Lime and Neuron, citing the growing number of complaints about their misuse.

The motion narrowly passed after community members presented arguments both in favour of and against the ban.

Councillors Davydd Griffiths, Roshena Campbell, Jason Chang, Philip Le Liu, and Kevin Louey supported Mr Reece's motion, which will see the two e-scooter operators given 30 days' notice to remove their devices from Melbourne's streets.

By mid-September, hired e-scooters will no longer be allowed in the city, though privately owned scooters will remain legal.

Despite the popularity of the e-scooter trial, which began in February 2022 and recorded over 6.5 million rides in Melbourne alone, Reece expressed his frustration with the negative impact on the city's streets.

"I admit I was a supporter of the e-scooters when they first started, but I am fed up with the rule-breaking and seeing the scooters strewn all over the city like rubbish," he said. "Riders continue to break the law, endangering others and themselves, creating a nuisance on our streets."

The decision comes despite the Victorian government's recent move to legalise private and share-hire e-scooters across the state, highlighting ongoing tensions between state policies and local council decisions.