Brisbane’s e-mobility strategy

Brisbane City Council has developed Brisbane’s e-mobility strategy to provide guidance to private and public enterprise and support the use of sustainable and more energy-efficient transport options across Brisbane. This document outlines Council’s priorities on e-mobility including our policies, plans for infrastructure and safety considerations for future partnerships.

Our vision is for a connected city, where transport enhances liveability, supports business and investment, takes advantage of new technology and keeps riders and pedestrians safe.

By outlining a vision that looks to the future, we’re improving quality of life for residents while ensuring our city has the services and infrastructure to meet the needs of future generations.

About the project

Transport is essential to the functioning of our city. Our transport networks connect people to work, study, services and entertainment, and move goods, commodities and resources to ensure that our city’s economy thrives.

The Transport Plan for Brisbane – Strategic Directions (Transport Plan) is Council’s plan to guide the evolution of our city’s transport network over the next 25 years as Brisbane grows and evolves. E-mobility (also referred to as e-wheeling) is a key initiative of the Transport Plan and focuses on opportunities to encourage greater use of e-bikes, e-scooters and other emerging, sustainable e-mobility travel options.

Brisbane’s e-mobility strategy provides further direction to realise this key initiative, helping to meet the city’s needs as well as being flexible to respond to the opportunities and challenges ahead.

There are five outcomes that form Council’s strategic direction in the adoption of e-mobility as part of the transport system. For each outcome, we have developed directions to guide Council’s implementation.

The outcomes are:

private and public agencies are responsive and work together effectively to improve safety and ensure public confidence in e-mobility
e-mobility services are widely used in Brisbane, helping to connect communities with local services
transport services and infrastructure help to enable e-mobility as a replacement for short car trips, especially for the first-and-last mile to public transport
the use of technology improves the efficiency and effectiveness of e-mobility networks and services in Brisbane
our transport infrastructure helps to improve safety and public confidence and helps the e-mobility industry to grow.

It is Council's responsibility to:

promote and coordinate activities that relate to implementing the strategy
encourage government, industry, private sector and the community involvement in Brisbane's transport future
monitor and track progress towards achieving the outcomes of the strategy.

The e-mobility strategy will continue to guide future planning and help make e-mobility, including shared schemes, a part of our city's transport network.

You can download:

Community consultation

In late 2020, community and industry were invited to share feedback on the draft e-mobility strategy.

Feedback was collected via:

an online survey on Council’s website
phone calls and emails sent to the project team
written correspondence.

On Tuesday 1 June 2021, Council released the Brisbane’s e-mobility strategy consultation report. The consultation report summarises the community feedback received during the consultation period.

For more information, download the:

Brisbane’s e-mobility strategy consultation report (Word – 205.6kb).

Personal Mobility Device legislative changes

On 1 November 2022, the Queensland Government introduced a range of new laws and law reforms for the use of personal mobility devices (PMDs), which includes e-scooters, e-skateboards and segways. These new laws change how and where people can use PMDs such as e-scooters, including how fast these devices can travel on different types of pathways. The new laws do not change rules for cycling, including the use of e-bikes.

For the most up to date information about all of these changes and how they may impact you, visit the Department of Transport and Main Roads’ website.

From 1 November 2022, the default speed limit on all footpaths, shared pathways and crossings will be reduced to 12km/h. This change affects how people will use many of Council’s popular shared pathways and footpaths. The maximum speed that e-scooters can travel at on permitted local roads and dedicated bike infrastructure, such as bikeways, will continue to be 25km/h.

As part of the new laws, the Queensland Government has created the option for local councils to apply for increased speed limits on shared pathways of up to 25km/h in certain locations that meet key safety guidelines.

E-mobility trials

Safe Precincts Trial

Council has introduced restrictions for shared e-scooters from Beam and Lime in the:

Brisbane CBD Safe Night precinct
Fortitude Valley Safe Night precinct.

The Safe Precincts trial commenced in December 2021. It includes restrictions in the CBD and Fortitude Valley Safe Night precincts between midnight to 5am on Friday and Saturday nights including:

locking shared e-scooters from Beam and Lime
15km/hr speed limits for shared e-scooters in the CBD and Fortitude Valley.

To view the Safe Night precinct maps, visit the Queensland Government website.

First Mile Last Mile Busway Trial

Council is partnering with the Department of Transport and Main Roads to trial shared e-mobility at Brisbane busway stations on the future Metro 1 line.

This e-mobility trial commenced November 2022 and allows Beam and Lime e-scooters and e-bikes to start and end trips at designated parking hubs around Buranda, Greenslopes, and Holland Park West busway stations.

To support the trial, Beam and Lime e-scooters will also be available in the catchment area around these busway stations including Buranda, Greenslopes, Holland Park and parts of Annerley and Tarragindi.

This trial has been extended to 31 December 2024 and is expected to:

create new e-mobility connections to and from busway stations on the future Brisbane Metro line
improve opportunities to connect residents to public transport hubs and cycling and pedestrian links
increase the number of commuters using shared devices to access public transport hubs
reduce unnecessary short car trips
reduce traffic congestion and parking issues on local streets.

The e-mobility devices are dockless and riders should use designated parking zones that have been allocated as part of the trial.

Riders can find designated parking zones on the operators’ (Beam or Lime) apps.

Any poor riding behaviours witnessed should be reported to the Queensland Police Service (QPS) through Policelink on 131 444.

To report inappropriately parked e-scooters, contact:

Beam via the website or phone on 07 3186 1011
Lime via email or phone on 07 1800 861 305.

Rules for shared devices at trial busway stations:

No e-mobility devices are permitted on station platforms or the busway.
Don't ride through pedestrian areas.
12 km/h in other areas.
Parking is only for shared scheme devices managed by Beam and Lime.
Parking for Beam and Lime is only permitted in designated areas.

E-mobility parking hubs

As part of our e-mobility strategy, we are rolling out designated shared scheme parking areas across the city, to create a network of physical parking locations in areas of high demand.

E-mobility parking hubs provide a designated place to park and pick up shared
e-scooters and e-bikes, to help ensure our footpaths and roads are kept clear and safe for pedestrians and road users.

Council has established more than 25 e-mobility parking hubs at key locations across the CBD and inner suburbs and will continue to investigate and install new e-mobility parking hubs across Brisbane throughout 2022.