E-SCOOTERS riders can now travel further and access most academic areas of UNE.
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Previously e-scooters could not go past north east of Trevanna Road or west of Clarke's Road, Armidale with the initial mapping area but this has now been extended to include most roads at UNE.
Operated by Beam Mobility, the e-scooters have been on a 12-month trial since September.
With more than 18,000 trips logged so far, and covering just shy of 30,000 kilometres since their launch, e-scooters have proved to be a popular mode of transport among residents.
The scooters are limited to a maximum of 20 km/h on bicycle paths, or roads with a speed limit up to 50 km/h, and a speed limit of 10 km/h for shared paths. E-scooters can't be ridden on footpaths.
"E-scooters have been embraced by the residents of Armidale and have given people an option to use a new mode of transport offering a convenient, low cost and low emission journey," Armidale Regional Council Mayor Sam Coupland said.
"Having access into UNE roads will make the e-scooters even more accessible to residents and students looking for a more sustainable and economic form of transport."
University of New England's interim chief operating officer Jo Scanlan said, "It's great to see a new and useful mode of transport for our students, and the route between UNE and Armidale CBD has proven to be very popular so far.
"We look forward to seeing how students and members of the community utilise the Beam scooters around the UNE Armidale campus as a part of the trial."
Beam's NSW operations manager Ned Dale said, "Our rider data shows that approximately 40 per cent of trips on a Beam [e-scooter] are taken for work or study commuting purposes, and we look forward to providing an eco-friendly and affordable transport option for the students and staff of UNE."
Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal on NSW roads and road-related areas, including footpaths, shared paths and bicycle lanes.
