31-05-2025
ACT to open market for e-scooter, e-bike companies, as government warned two-thirds of users break the law
Two-thirds of Canberrans are using e-scooters illegally, according to researchers, who are urging the ACT government to address the problem before considering adding another provider to the market.
Canberrans may soon see more colours of e-scooter on their street corners, and possibly also e-bikes, when the ACT government reopens the micromobility permit market this month.
However, a study into e-scooter user behaviour from the University of Canberra has found almost two-thirds of all riders are not wearing helmets, sparking calls for tighter regulation.
For second-year Australian National University (ANU) student Jonathan De Kock, e-scooters are a practical and recreational form of transport he uses weekly.
He considers helmets an optional choice.
"I tend to use helmets fairly often, if they're available," he said.
Many ANU students use e-scooters between the campus and the city.
It's a route Mr De Kock believes is very safe, and he said none of his friends had received any meaningful injuries from riding e-scooters at night.
"I don't think it's deeply unsafe," Mr De Kock said.
Between January and May 2025, ACT Policing issued nine infringement notices and two cautions for people riding e-scooters without a helmet.
No cautions were issued for riders using a mobile phone or riding with multiple people on board in that same time period.
The fact he might get caught doing the wrong thing does not really affect Mr De Kock's e-scooter use.
University of Canberra research assistant Anton Fichtenmaier, who contributed to the study, said e-scooters were often used for short distances.
"People are often using these micromobility modes of transport to complete that last little bit of commute either from the bus stop, the light rail or where they parked to get to where they're working," he said.
Study co-author and associate professor of psychology Amanda George said their report found 64 per cent of e-scooter users did not wear a helmet — which she said was linked to a perception that legal consequences and physical injury were unlikely.
"It's not the done thing," she said.
She said some users viewed wearing a helmet as "not cool".
The University of Canberra research found e-scooter users also said they chose not to wear helmets because of concerns about hygiene and the helmets sometimes not being available.
The report made recommendations to the government, including that it should prioritise helmet use by collaborating with e-scooter companies to enforce the rules.
"A key recommendation we made was to engage in some further research, particularly in those late at night and early morning periods," Professor George said.
The ACT government confirmed it was considering the report recommendations, but indicated late-night use was not a focus because e-scooter usage peaks between 4pm and 9pm.
"Whilst late-night riding may attract some inappropriate use, e-scooters provide an important affordable, flexible and safe service for people who need to travel late at night," a government spokesperson said.
Neuron Mobility is the sole shared e-scooter operator in the ACT, and the company has 1,075 of its orange scooters scattered throughout the territory.
The company pays a daily permit fee of $1.04 per vehicle to the ACT government, but the permit expires in August.
After an application process in June, the government will consider up to two providers to operate in the territory.
Canberra previously had two operators — however in September 2024 Beam Mobility's 950 purple shared e-scooters disappeared off the streets, following findings the company had manipulated its fleet numbers.
Introducing shared e-bikes has not been ruled out by the territory government, and neither has a possible return of Beam Mobility.
"The renewal of permits provides an opportunity to refresh the program with new approaches, services and devices, including e-bikes which can be ridden greater distances," an ACT government spokesperson said.
"Two operators would be considered where services complement each other either through competition on services and pricing or through the provision of services that meet different needs within the community."
