Melbourne City council bans share hire e-scooters

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Dozens of jobs for young people are in jeopardy, after Melbourne City Council announced its banning share-hire e-scooters over safety concerns. Those who work in this industry are calling on the council to reconsider its decision, because it's been helping youth kickstart their careers.

Transcript

00:00Tools in hand, Hassanan Idris ensures these e-scooters are safe for the streets.

00:07Our skills are part of an industry that's probably for the future, in terms of shared

00:11micro-mobility, so it feels good to be a part of that.

00:14But the job he loves is in jeopardy, following Melbourne City Council's recent decision

00:18to scrap share-hire e-scooters.

00:20We personally feel like the council didn't consider our jobs.

00:23Me and a lot of the guys here are pretty shattered, to be honest.

00:25Social Enterprise Good Cycles collects, repairs and services e-scooters and bikes.

00:30It's worried for the future of mechanics like Hassanan and other young workers, who face

00:34barriers to employment.

00:36It could potentially affect up to 41 of our employees.

00:39One of the biggest challenges, particularly for our young people, is meaningful employment

00:43and is stable employment and is money in your pocket.

00:47But Melbourne City Council is standing firm on its decision.

00:50We still have share bikes operating around the city and that works very successfully

00:55and so we would hope to see them continue and there's plenty of opportunities for work

01:00related to them.

01:01In a statement, e-scooter operator Lime says its e-scooters are designed for a safe and

01:06comfortable ride, with features like dual handbrakes and swept handlebars.

01:10While Neuron says if given the opportunity, it could quickly implement a number of measures

01:14to address many, if not all, of the councillor's concerns.

01:17They need to be part of the future of Melbourne.

01:19It's not just a ban on a company, it's a ban on people's livelihoods.

01:23In a few weeks' time, these share hire e-scooters will no longer be seen on city streets.

01:28But they won't completely disappear because privately owned scooters will still be allowed.

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