E-bike and e-scooter provider Beam Mobility is pulling the plug on NSW’s first council-run micromobility trial in the state’s Hunter region.

“Beam Mobility will be pausing its shared micromobility operations in Lake Macquarie from 24 May 2024,” the company said in a statement.

The company announced the trial two years ago, saying it would initially introduce 500 e-bikes followed by a fleet of 100 e-scooters, with the app-based service featuring pay-as you go rates.

Beam says 30,000 kilometres were travelled and just shy of 40,000 trips made on shared e-scooters and e-bikes since December 2022.

However a spokeswoman told Government News the trial area had been limited to just several bike paths in the LGA.

“Looking at the operational area that we had, there were limitations to where our riders could travel, we received that feedback,” she said.

“We still believe there’s a need for shared micromobility pretty much everywhere so for us its really about assessing the operational positions on the ground that will make operations commercially viable.

“Riders will embrace e-scooters and definitely want to, but they also want to go where they want to go.”

Beam was assessing a way forward, she said.

“We’ll continue to be in touch with council and see what happens moving forward.”

The trail was being jointly run by Transport for NSW, Lake Macquarie Council and economic development company Dantia.

In a statement to Government News, Lake Macquarie said it understood Beam’s decision to remove its devices from the LGA.

“We thank Beam for their participation in the trials in Lake Macquarie and will continue to closely monitor trials in other areas across NSW,” the statement said.

A spokesman for Dantia confirmed there had been feedback in relation to limitations on the trial area and said Dantia was supportive of Beam’s decision.

The company remained open to future trials with other providers, he said.

Beam has no plans to quit other trials across the state including in Kogarh, Armidale, Forster, Tuncurry and Albury, the company spokeswoman said.

Last month it announced plans to launch a 12-month e-scooter trial in Bendigo in Victoria from late May.