Have Your Say: Shared e-scooter trading permit

The Shire’s authority extends to granting a trading license for a business to park the escooters on Shire-controlled land (for example, public places in Chinatown or Town Beach). Council has no authority to prevent or regulate the use of private escooters, or hire eRideable business operating from private land. 

In April 2023, Broome Shire Council approved an application by Beam Mobility Australia for a 12-month trading licence to trial its e-scooter ‘shared micromobility service’ in Broome. In May 2024, this was extended until December 2024.

As part of the trial, three hundred purple e-scooters were made available for hire through the Beam app for pick up and drop off at designated parking areas around Broome.

Beam e-scooters use Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to track their location and limit their speed, including in designated slow zones and exclusion zones in busy areas such as Chinatown, Town Beach, and the Cable Beach tourist precinct. The technology is designed to prevent the e-scooters from straying from designated operating areas by notifying riders and directing them back, with the scooter powering down and slowly stopping if the rider does not comply.

The e-scooters are allowed to operate in a 28-square-kilometre area that includes Old Broome, Cable Beach, Djugan and Bilingurr. 

The Shire is conducting a survey in July and August 2024 to gather community feedback about the Beam e-scooter trial. All community members are strongly encouraged to participate and provide their views. If you would like more information on the consultation process you can contact the Shire of Broome on shire@broome.wa.gov.au. 

Council will review the survey results at an Ordinary Meeting and determine whether another trading permit may be issued for a shared e-scooter program. The community will be informed once Council has made a decision. 

E-scooters are governed by state legislation, where they are defined as ‘erideables’. This covers where you can ride, speed and age limits, and other legal requirements.

hwww.wa.gov.au/organisation/road-safety-commission/erideables

Only people aged sixteen and over are allowed to use eRideables.

For general enquiries, you can contact Beam’s support team through the "Help" button on the main menu of the mobile app.

For enquiries regarding specific trips please do the following:

• Enter "Trip History" in the main app
• Select the ride you have a dispute or question
• Click on "Contact Support" in the bottom right hand of that ride
• You may also contact support by clicking on the question mark icon shown on the right hand of the map screen.

If you need to speak to someone in person, please call Beam’s helpline:

Toll-Free Number: 1300 507 676

Email: teamsupportau@ridebeam.com

Website: Contact us (ridebeam.com)

If a Beam e-scooter is parked badly or causing an obstruction please visit: https://www.ridebeam.com/report-a-beam  and Beam will deploy a marshal to move the e-scooter.

You can also contact Beam’s support team through the “Help” button on the main menu of the app, or by clicking on the question mark icon shown on the right hand of the map screen or by calling Beam’s helpline on 1300 507 676.

If you have a concern or complaint about a rider on a Beam, immediately register your complaint with Beam’s Customer Service team on the contact details listed above. Please provide the vehicle registration number (if possible) and as much detail as possible on the behaviour (i.e., location, time, regularity).

If the rider is breaking the law, please refer the matter to the police.

If the complaint is about a rider on a privately owned e-scooter, please refer the matter to the police.