Any Kiama e-scooter trial ruled out by councillor vote

At Tuesday night's Kiama Municipal Council meeting, Cr Matt Brown had tabled a motion calling on council to note riding e-scooters in Kiama is illegal and that the council had no intention of changing that.

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The riding of e-scooters in public places is illegal in NSW, with the current trial under way in Wollongong taking part under the auspices of Transport for NSW.

Cr Brown had previously said the intent of the motion was to make it clear to residents that any such trial in Kiama would not be supported.

"I think it needs to be made quite clear that this council has no intention of having a trial, no intention of encouraging the use of e-scooters," Cr Brown said.

Speaking in support of his motion Cr Brown called e-scooters "a menace", though he admitted to enjoying riding them elsewhere.

"I think most councillors will understand that e-scooters are a menace," Cr Brown said.

"They are a menace to our footpaths. They are a menace to our roads and in Kiama municipality they're not going to work well at all.

"We have a very hilly environment, our pedestrian thoroughfares are already very full of people walking or using disability mobile vehicles and our roads are quite busy.

"There is simply nowhere for e-scooters to be using our roads and footpaths in a safe manner."

Cr Brown said he had spoken to "many people" in Kiama about the issue and the only one in favour of e-scooters was his daughter.

"She loved using e-scooters where we went to Darwin," he said.

"We had a terrific time using e-scooters in Darwin but the landscape of Darwin is very different to that of Kiama."

The motion was passed 7-1, with Cr Karen Renkema-Lang voting against. Cr Cathy Rice was not present at the meeting.

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