Hire e-scooters are being pulled off Hobart’s streets, with the city council citing years of complaints about footpath clutter, safety risks and rider behaviour.
The Hobart City Council on Tuesday confirmed it will end its mixed e-scooter and e-bike hire scheme and move to an e-bike-only model.
A tender will soon open for a new operator, with a focus on smaller, compact e-bikes better suited to Hobart’s narrow streets and footpaths.
The council said “ongoing regulatory, safety and behavioural concerns” drove the decision, with “inappropriate parking” on footpaths the most common complaint from residents.
Dumped scooters have been a sore point since the scheme launched in 2021.
Disability advocates have repeatedly raised concerns about blocked footpaths and trip hazards for people with limited mobility or vision.
Earlier fixes, including designated parking bays, fines for clutter and a three-strike policy for rider breaches, failed to fully resolve the problem.
The council said e-scooters are too often used as recreational devices and left wherever riders finish their trip.
“E-bikes, by contrast, are generally used as a transport mode rather than a recreational device, resulting in more predictable and compliant behaviour,” the council said.
Acting lord mayor Zelinda Sherlock said the mixed model was no longer working for Hobart.
“The shared micromobility program has demonstrated strong community interest in low emissions, convenient travel options,” Sherlock said.
“However, it has become clear that a mixed e-scooter and e-bike hire model is not the best fit for Hobart.”
Transport committee chair and councillor Ryan Posselt said the shift should lift safety standards.
“An e-bike only model is expected to improve safety outcomes and better integrate with existing cycling infrastructure,” Posselt said.
“E-bikes also support active transport, delivering public health benefits alongside emissions reduction.”
Hobart’s current fleet is run exclusively by Beam, which has held the sole operator licence since March 2024 after Neuron was phased out.
The fleet includes standing e-scooters, seated e-scooters and e-bikes.
