E-scooters could be banned from entertainment districts as part of overhaul to be considered by new inquiry

E-scooters could be banned from entertainment districts as part of a policy overhaul set to be considered by a new parliamentary inquiry, triggered by the death of a Perth father in the CBD. The West Australian can reveal that State Parliament’s Community Development and Justice Standing Committee has been asked to investigate and overhaul the use of e-rideables. Tougher penalties, night-time curfews and a footpath ban in pedestrian areas are among options the Police Minister has asked the committee to consider. “The Cook Labor Government is focused on keeping Western Australia’s growing community safe,” Reece Whitby said. “I am very concerned about the safety of e-riders and pedestrians on Perth’s paths and roads, and that is why we’ve chosen to take a bi-partisan approach on this important matter.” The committee, chaired by Nationals MP Peter Rundle, will be asked to report back by the end of September. It will be expected to examine injury data and any trends related to frequency, severity, location and time of day. But the Government has also called for immediate action to boost public awareness of current rules that include a 10km/h speed limit on footpaths. “I have also asked the Road Safety Commission to educate and promote awareness of the correct and legal use of e-rideables within the community,” Mr Whitby said. “This latest commitment follows my work with WA Police, who carried out an enforcement blitz in entertainment precincts this past weekend.” Police stopped 72 e-scooters during the weekend blitz, handing out 22 fines and seizing two unregistered devices. The inquiry will also compare injury data between privately owned e-rideables and hire schemes that have been the subject of intense scrutiny, since the death of Thanh Phan at the intersection of King and Murray streets last month. English backpacker Alicia Kemp has been charged over the crash that killed the 51-year-old. Police allege Kemp was riding a hired e-scooter under the influence of alcohol and in an “inexplicably dangerous” manner, at speeds of up to 25km/h, when she hit Mr Phan. Police Commissioner Col Blanch has expressed support for a ban on footpaths. “My advice is where you have a high density of pedestrians, the risk is greater,” he said on Wednesday. “I like e-scooters and we can already have them on shared bike paths and things like that . . . I think we need to make sure that we stop hurting people on footpaths.” The City of Perth and City of Vincent suspended trials of e-scooter hires in the wake of Mr Phan’s death. A separate trial within Kings Park has also been called off, as thousands of people descend on the landmark’s footpaths for the popular Lightscape festival.