Dumping concerns as Melbourne’s e-scooter trial begins

Melbourne’s new e-scooter trial has begun.

The shared scooters are now available in the City of Melbourne, Port Phillip and Yarra council areas.

When the scheme was announced, some aired concerns that the scooters would be dumped across the city, as happened with the the failed oBike scheme.

Those fears appear to be founded.

A Neil Mitchell listener has sent in a photo of one of the scooters which was thrown into a garden on Bay Street, Port Melbourne (above) on the first morning of the trial.

But Richard Hannah, Head of Neuron Mobility, one of the companies running the trial, said the scooters had “geofencing” technology that prevented the scooters from being parked near rivers or questionable locations.

“There have been hundreds of people already try the scooters this morning,” he said.

Press PLAY below to hear him speak with Neil Mitchell

3AW Mornings producer, Michael Hilder, took one for a ride across the CBD, and only came across one other person on one of the shared e-scooters.

“Traffic was fine. There’s a sot of spirit of solidarity with other scooter riders,” he said.

“I was riding at 15km/h and the push bikes must have been going at least over 20km and they didn’t appreciate how slow I was going.”

Press PLAY below to hear how Michael’s e-scooter ride went