Impacts of eRideables on the transport task in WA

This research will examine why people in Perth, Western Australia, use Electric rideable devices (eRideables). It will look specifically at how individuals use their own eRideable devices for travel, rather than focusing on shared schemes.

The goal is to understand the unique usage patterns and motivations in the context of the city’s multi-modal transport system.

Participants

• Department of Transport (WA)
• University of Western Australia / PATREC

Project background

Electric rideable devices (eRideables), including eScooters and eSkateboards, represent an emerging transport mode. Potentially they could benefit transport function, people’s health and our environment.

TRANSPORT FUNCTION:

• improve access to public transport, eRideables can be first mile/last mile options.
• help reduce traffic congestion in urban areas, primarily for short trips, eRideables can decrease the number of cars on the road.
• eRideables require less parking space than cars, potentially freeing up valuable urban real estate for other uses (e.g. benefiting people walking and riding, public space).

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL:

• eRideables could increase physical activity, especially for those who may not exercise regulaly, resulting in health benefits, such as a reduced risk of obesity, heart disease and type-2 diabetes.
  • At a minimum, eRideable users benefit from standing rather than sitting. This is positive in isolation, however if eRideable trips replace walking and bike riding trips, physical activity levels overall could reduce.
• by replacing car trips, eRideables can contribute to improved air quality, reducing exposure to harmful air pollutants; although evidence of greenhouse gas reduction is mixed.
• eRideables produce significantly less noise than cars or motorbikes, potentially reducing urban noise pollution which is better for mental health and overall well-being.

Ensuring the safe use of eRideables for users and non-users is paramount, with the following issues raised:

• Accident risks: As the use of eRideables grows, so do concerns about accidents involving riders and people walking or on bicycles.
• Infrastructure challenges: Many cities lack proper infrastructure for eRideables, such as dedicated ‘cycle’ lanes, resulting in riders sharing the road with motorists or using footpaths, increasing the risk of accidents. In many cities, where eScooters gained rapid popularity, there has been conflict between people on eRideables and those on bicycles or walking when the same space is shared.
• Need for adequate regulatory frameworks: In response to safety concerns, cities are implementing rules and regulations to govern eRideable use. For example, San Francisco established a permit system for eScooter operators, while London has introduced eScooter trials with strict safety standards. In Western Australia (WA), changes were made to the Road Traffic Code in 2020 to provide for eRideable use.

Most currently available information on eRideable use primarily comes from businesses that hire scooters. There is limited data on the context WA, where privately owned eRideables are a large part of the market.

Local, independently collected information can build upon existing data to improve understanding of eRideable use throughout Perth.

This project will inform policy and future research to seek better outcomes for all road users. Ways to improve integration and operation of eRideables in the local transport system will be considered.

In this study, an eRideable is a scooter, skateboard or other similar vehicle designed to be used by a single person and has an electric motor (Road Traffic Code regulation 3A). Electric bicycles are considered separately from eRideables and do not form part of this study.

This study will focus on personal use rather than hire/share schemes. The researchers will use a number of methods to collect a rich data set on eRideable behaviour.

Project objectives

The research aims to build evidence on how eRideables have impacted the transport task in Perth and to provide insight into future use, against a backdrop of international literature.

Research objectives:

1. Determine eRideable usage patterns for Perth, including:

• trip frequency and purpose;
• levels of compliance;
• size and profile of the eRideable community; and
• trends in usage and potential changes in patterns of use.

2. Contextualise the Perth situation in relation to the wider international literature:

• eRideables in relation to the wider transport system, including benefits and dis-benefits;
• health benefits/dis-benefits associated with the use of eRideables (i.e. increasing or decreasing physical activity); and
• prevalence and causes of incidents/injuries involving eRideables.

3. Propose policies, programs and/or infrastructure to support eRideable use in WA.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!