An e-scooter hire scheme on the Sunshine Coast has been parked, council has announced.

Since May 2023, Sunshine Coast Council – in partnership with share scheme operator Neuron Mobility – has been trialling 400 orange e-scooters in the Mooloolaba and Maroochydore areas of the state.

The 18-month trial enabled council to assess:

• if e-transport was a good fit for the region
• community feedback, concerns and impacts
• community receptiveness.

Despite strict conditions accompanying the trial – including curfews and parking restrictions – councillors voted for the scheme to be shelved after a report detailed a number of concerns, including:

• mobility devices not meeting expectations
• community criticisms relating to regulation, usage and rider behaviour
• impacts to amenity within the community
• a mixed community response.

Indeed, a survey – delivered to more than 12,000 residents within the trial zone – found 60 per cent of respondents wanted it to end.

“A report presented to councillors at the August 2024 Ordinary Meeting highlighted a number of areas identified from the community survey that led to a recommendation not to continue the trial,” said Shanagh Jacobs – Sunshine Coast Council, group executive for customer and planning services.

“Modest usage” and safety concerns were also among the reasons for the initiative to end.

“Based on the overall review, council agreed to end the trial on September 30, 2024, and reassess the Sunshine Coast’s readiness for e-transport hire offering in 2026,” Ms Jacobs said.

The decision follows the City of Melbourne prematurely cancelling its contract with Neuron and another e-scooter company last month for similar reasons.

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