We Say/You Say: Electric Scooters

Reporter Hamilton Press

Hi Hamilton,

Should electric scooters stay or go?

Electric scooters are set to stay on Hamilton Streets with pedestrian and user safety remaining a concern.

Hamilton City Council's Infrastructure Operations Committee approved the extension to operate indefinitely and has opened up a previously exclusive contract to other operators.

Councillor Sarah Thomson said she had heard from the disabled community and older residents that sharing the footpath with scooter riders could be a terrifying experience, and she had recently experienced a close call herself with a scooter rider.

"I was coming around a corner, I was pushing [my son] Leo in a pram and I nearly collided with someone riding a scooter. Leo, who is 10-and-a-half months old, would have been the first one hit."

The committee has attempted to address these concerns, with three-monthly reports needing to be submitted to ensure companies and scooter riders are adhering to regulations. Public liability insurance worth $2 million will also be required from each operator.

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