Armidale’s e-scooters will now be able to travel further out of CBD boundaries and access most academic areas at the University of New England (UNE).
Armidale Regional Council in conjunction with UNE and Beam Mobility has announced the extension of the e-scooters’ reach which will come into effect as of Wednesday, December 6.
Armidale locals welcomed a 12-month trial of Beam Mobility shared scheme e-scooters in September and they have proved to be a popular mode of transport among residents.
With over 18,000 trips logged so far, and covering just shy of 30,000km since their launch, e-scooters will prove to be popular amongst UNE students and staff.
The scooters are limited to a maximum of 20km/h on bicycle paths, or roads with a speed limit up to 50 km/h, and a speed limit of 10km/h for shared paths. E-scooters are not permitted for use on footpaths.
Previously e-scooters could not go past north east of Trevanna Road or West of Clarke’s Road Armidale with the initial mapping area but this has now been extended to include most roads at UNE.
“This is fabulous news for students and staff at UNE,” said Mayor Sam Coupland. “Having access into UNE roads will make the e-scooters even more accessible to residents and students looking for a more sustainable and economic form of transport.”
“E-scooters have been embraced by the residents of Armidale and have given people an option to use a new mode of transport offering a convenient, low cost and low emission journey.”
“UNE is pleased to join Armidale Regional Council in the trial of Beam scooters,” said UNE Interim Chief Operating Officer, Ms Jo Scanlan. “It’s great to see a new and useful mode of transport for our students, and the route between UNE and Armidale CBD has proven to be very popular so far.
We look forward to seeing how students and members of the community utilise the Beam scooters around the UNE Armidale campus as a part of the trial.”
Beam’s NSW Operations Manager, Ned Dale, said "Our rider data shows that approximately 40% of trips on a Beam are taken for work or study commuting purposes, and we look forward to providing an eco-friendly and affordable transport option for the students and staff of UNE.
“We continue to see shared micro mobility providing transport connections to residents and visitors to Armidale, and are committed to expanding our operations to support the growing reliance on e-scooters amongst the community."
Riders must adhere to the rules of the trial, wear a helmet, remain below the speed limits and must not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal on NSW roads and road-related areas, including footpaths, shared paths and bicycle lanes.
For more information on the trial click here
Published on 06 Dec 2023