E-scooter companies could be doing better to ensure footpath users' safety, the Blind Foundation says.
A new trial means a third e-scooter company Flamingo is coming to Auckland, as well as new rules around how the scooters will operate, it was announced on Wednesday.
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The vehicles will automatically lower speeds to 15 kilometres an hour in the CBD and near the Blind Foundation and hospital.
Foundation spokesperson Chris Orr told Newshub it's a start, but there's still work to do.
"That's still too fast, it's well over twice as fast as walking speed, so it's still pretty quick and you're looking at quite a heavy object."
Disability advocates have voiced concerns about the e-scooters, which can quietly sneak up on footpath users that can't see or hear them.
The e-scooters can also be dropped anywhere and pose a trip hazard to people who cannot see them.
E-scooters will still be able to go on the footpath, and still will not have access to bike paths, which Orr said is a problem.
"We strongly advocated that they should change the rules around the use of these scooters so that they could go onto cycle paths."
The trial will run until October and will involve Lime, Wave and Wellington based newcomer Flamingo.
Auckland is so far the only city to have imposed the new rules on the scooters. Orr said other cities should be looking at their safety too.
"There are other cities in New Zealand where e-scooters are prevalent, Dunedin and Christchurch in particular where they're just all over the place and they're being dropped willy nilly."
Newshub.
