80% of Victorians want e-Scooters
A new survey by the Royal Automobile Association of Victoria (RACV) has found 4 out of 5 people would ride e-scooters despite it being illegal to use on Victoria’s roads and paths.
By Stephen Coulter & Krystyna Weston
The RACV is one of Australia’s most trusted brands and traditionally a conservative brand focussed on cars. In the last few years, it has shifted it’s focus more to a broader mobility agenda to refresh its membership base with mobility appealing to younger people. Like most motoring associations around the world, current members average age is around 60.
It’s significant such a brand is behind a survey which has found Victorians anything but Victorian in their attitudes towards progressive 21st-century modes of mobility.
Victoria’s capital, Melbourne is perfectly suited to e-mobility including electric scooters. Melbourne is predicted to become Australia’s largest city in the next 10 years or so and is predominantly flat. Good pathways exist around Melbourne’s large Bay, along it’s Yarra River banks and through many of its parks.
Melbourne has terrible traffic with less than 20% of commuters using public transit. This is despite Melbourne having one of the world’s best light rail networks in its city and inner suburbs.
Melbourne has an extensive train network but most lines are spokes, with little connectivity until you are near the city. This leaves many Melbournians caught between spokes and choosing to drive. e-Scooters are a great option for a large proportion of Melbournians to travel under 3km to reach a train station.
The RACV survey found people would use e-scooters for commuting, getting to and from public transport, shopping and just for fun.
40% of people said they would buy their own e-Scooter, many would use share scooters and 27% said they would use both.
All it needs now is the Victorian Government to change regulations to allow e-Scooters to be used within a common-sense regulatory framework — just as bikes do.
A number of Melbourne’s Local Governments are lining up wanting e-Scooters in their suburbs — the Cities of Port Phillip, Yarra and Moreland are amongst the leaders — they cover large parts of Melbourne’s inner South, East and North. All it needs is the city of Melbourne to support eScooters and around 600,000 residents will have a new commuting option.
Listen to your RACV and residents Victoria.
