The council will start a safety campaign around appropriate use of e-scooters. Photo / Greg Bowker
The council will start a safety campaign around appropriate use of e-scooters. Photo / Greg Bowker
Auckland Council is looking to crack down on e-scooter safety with the hopes of introducing a speed limit, helmets and police enforcement.
Addressing media today, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said council did not want to be "the fun police" but wanted to keep people safe.
Goff announced today that councilwould be starting a safety campaign around appropriate use of e-scooters, as well as making a submission to Government around enforcing stricter safety measures.
"At the moment I am working with Auckland Transport and the first thing I think is a matter of common sense is, you might be able physically to ride the scooter at 25km/h on the footpath – but that is just not on," he said.
"I think there has to be a speed limit and we are looking at the initial idea of a speed limit of around 10km/h but we will listen to public feedback on that.
"Secondly, the police have enforcement powers for reckless and dangerous behavior and I want to talk to the police about using those powers where people are seen acting in that way. They need to crack down on that.
Phil Goff hopes to introduce a speed limit for e-scooters. Photo / Greg Bowker
"The third thing is around the use of helmets. People have different ideas about that but what we have at the moment is a glaring inconsistency.
"If I am riding my electric bike I am required to wear a helmet, but if I am going faster on a scooter I am not. Central Government has that jurisdiction and they have to work through those particular issues."
Goff said the new safety awareness campaign, called Scoot Safe - which cost $10,000 - would include posters, signs at bus stops, and online activity.
He said the proposed changes were not intended to stop people using e-scooters, but to encourage users to do so responsibly.
"This is not a toy. It is a means of transportation and it needs to be treated with respect," he said.
"That is why I think while we have a three month trial, let's get in early and send some messages - even before we seek to put in place any regulatory change that we might want the Government to make."
E-scooters were introduced onto the streets in Auckland and Christchurch on October 15 and since then hundreds of the two-wheelers have taken over the footpaths.
Since the launch there have been nearly 150 ACC claims for injuries caused by electric scooters between October 14 and November 11.
The bulk of injuries occurred in Auckland with 85 injuries, while 50 were recorded in Christchurch and six across the rest of the country.
Currently Lime was licensed for 1000 scooters, while competing companies Wave and Onzo were also launching 500 and 1000 scooters respectively.
Current e-scooter protocol allows riders to use footpaths and people don't legally have to wear helmets - despite the vehicles reaching speeds of up to 27km/h.
