For the last few weeks, Matthew Zammit has been checking every street corner and side road for a sight he dreads.
There is something approaching his local region, a problem that has already taken hold in the streets of Sydney and Queensland, and this father from Victoria is eager to stop it.
Issues like blocked footpaths and other compliance concerns might end up being very expensive for the council, especially given the $50,000 it has already assigned to the trial. For instance, the nearby City of Yarra spent over $180,000 addressing complaints in 2024 alone.
A bill like that could cause trouble for Darebin council, which Zammit claimed is “strapped for cash”.
“We don’t have money to fix the potholes, but we’ve got money for e-scooters?” Zammit said.
“Guess what? Those e-scooters are going to end up in the potholes you left there and somebody is going to hurt themselves.”
Council originally planned for the trial to kick off before July but Olaris said it is now targeting a launch in late August or early September.
A report on the results of the trial is set to be tabled at the council’s April 2026 meeting.
Council’s huge move after CBD bans e-scooters
“The trial is designed to gather community feedback on the role of shared e-scooters and e-bikes in Darebin’s transport network,” Olaris said.
She added that the trial “will provide important insights into how shared e-scooters can work better for everyone in the community”.
But Zammit said locals have already made their thoughts on the costly trial clear.
“I can’t confidently just let this one go,” he said.
“The human cost, the cost of even just a handful of people in this area getting a brain injury, is worth it enough to stop this.”
