The council’s Labor opposition said the long-awaited strategy failed to address safety issues raised by pedestrian and disability groups around the vehicles’ use and parking on footpaths,or questions around enforcement when the devices were dumped in public spaces.
But Cr Schrinner insisted safety had been a key focus of the expansion,which has seen more than 4 million rides taken by 1.4 million people since the first scooters hit Brisbane streets in November 2018.
“Brisbane has been a leader in e-mobility. Following a competitive tender process,Neuron and Beam were chosen for their strong track record and commitment to safety and sustainability,” Cr Schrinner said.
“Every single person who jumps on an e-scooter or e-bike is one less car on our road,so this initiative is busting congestion and building a more sustainable Brisbane.”
Demand for the scooters surged back to pre-pandemic levels at the end of last year,with public transport patronage remaining around 70 per cent.
Both Beam and Neuron will hold an equal share of the new bikes set to appear on Brisbane streets from July 22,along with an expanded total of 2000 scooters,after a now superseded 50 per cent increaseannounced by the council last month.