Brisbane was the first Australian city to really quantify and spell out how these new vehicles could and could not be used throughout the city with the introduction of a Lime scooters trial in 2018.The only real stipulations put forward by this local government was that the ride-sharing scooters had to be ridden on pavements (and not in bicycle lanes or on roadways shared with traditional motor vehicles), and that individual riders had to wear helmets while doing so. Since their launch in November 2018, Brisbane has had one of the highest uptakes that Lime has ever seen, with over half million trips being taken by Brisbane locals. Though like most trials, there have been some expected issues along the way, especially as the public gets used to riding this new style of vehicle, the trial has been extended. The Brisbane City Council is now giving the green light for additional operators to launch in the city.
For non-ride-sharing scooters, the Queensland government currently has regulations in place limiting the maximum speed (25km/h) of electric scooters and motor wattage (200 watts or under). And helmets are always a must.
Although you must not ride on main roads or streets in the Brisbane CBD, riders are permitted to ride on a local street with a speed limit of 50km/h or less.