E-scooter considerations for Denmark council as Beam Mobility boast early success of Albany trial

Denmark could become the latest town to play host to an e-scooter trial if the council votes in favour of endorsing the Shire’s chief executive to negotiate an agreement with Beam Mobility.

The company, one of two to be running a 12-month trial in Albany, approached the shire to provide a demonstration of its scooters last month and offered to run the trial.

If approved, up to 80 scooters would be deployed within the Denmark townsite as part of the trial.

A report prepared for Tuesday’s ordinary council meeting recommends authorising chief executive David Schober to negotiate and enter into an agreement with Beam for the trial.

It also outlines a number of requirements for the company to adhere to before and during the trial and requests that it follows 19 conditions.

An additional recommendation in the report is for the council to adopt a new $1500 annual fee within its Fees and Charges Schedule to cover up to 30 parking stations for e-scooters.

Albany’s trial e-scooter program kicked off at the end of October, with Beam reporting that its fleet of 200 scooters had travelled 36,000km in the first month.

It said usage throughout November was at its highest from 3pm to 6pm on weekdays, between 6pm and 9pm on Friday and Saturday, and after 2pm on Sunday.

Beam WA’s operation lead Stuart O’Callaghan said 28 warning and two permanent bans were issued in the first month for offences including tandem riding, parking incorrectly and riding irresponsibly.

“The vast majority of riders are doing the right thing, and we’re pleased to see riders engaging with our Beam Safe Academy and following the rules,” he said.

“However, our three-strikes policy is in place and riders face suspension and permanent bans for bad riding and parking offences.

“We want riders to know that riding and parking safely is their responsibility, and that our team are out there enforcing the rules.”

He said the distance covered by the scooters during the first month showed there was “huge potential for shared micromobility to provide transport connections to residents and visitors in Albany.”