Neuron, the team behind Wollongong's e-scooter trial, have hit back over claims they are more expensive than competing transport options.
A recent Mercury story detailed how much it would cost to hire an e-scooter and ride from WIN Stadium to various locations around the city.
The calculations were based upon paying $1 to unlock the scooter plus 51 cents per minute - the entry level charge.
These included all the way up to Sandon Point ($42.31), to Diggies at North Wollongong ($6.10) and the University of Wollongong's Innovation Campus ($10.69).
It prompted a lot of comments on social media noting that the cost seemed expensive and that it would be cheaper to use a ride-share service like Uber.
A Neuron spokeswoman said that, as the trial progressed, regular users would take advantage of the cheaper hire options.
"Often first-time riders try the service using the pay-as-you-go pricing option, but as they start to use the e-scooters more regularly some switch to one of our weekly or monthly passes which provide excellent value," the spokeswoman said.
"In other cities, beyond the excitement of launch, residents start to use e-scooters as part of their daily commute, particularly for short trips in and out of the city centre."
These lower rates included all-day passes for one, three, seven or 30 days.
For $15 people ride a scooter as much as they want or pay $25 for a three-day pass. The weekly pass is $33 while a month of scooter rides costs $99 - which is $3.30 a day.
Weekly and monthly passes also come with discounts for concession holders and students.
The company is running trials and e-scooter services in other parts of the country and found they serve as a replacement for car trips.
"Elsewhere in Australia around 46 per cent of our e-scooter trips are found to replace a car journey," the spokeswoman said.
"They are an environmentally-friendly alternative to short car trips, reducing conjunction and emissions."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
