Sydney, June 5
The West Australian (WA) capital of Perth has indefinitely suspended the hiring of e-scooters following the death of a pedestrian in a collision.
The city of Perth suspended e-scooter hires from midday local time on Thursday in response to the death of a 51-year-old man in hospital on Tuesday after being struck from behind by an e-scooter as he walked in central Perth with a friend on Saturday night, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Thursday.
He is the first pedestrian to die in an e-scooter accident in WA, said ABC.
A British tourist was arrested at the scene and has been charged with causing death while driving dangerously under the influence of alcohol, Xinhua news agency reported. Perth Deputy Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds described the incident as a "tragic event" and said on Thursday that providers would collect e-scooters from the city's streets.
He said that there is no timeframe for how long the suspension will last.
Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook told ABC radio that the suspension was a "perfectly appropriate" response.
Meanwhile, in another incident, a pedestrian died after being hit by a light rail carriage in Sydney, on Thursday afternoon.
Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said in a statement on Thursday afternoon that emergency services were called to the inner-Sydney suburb of Surry Hills at about 1:15 p.m. local time on Thursday following reports that a pedestrian had been struck by a light rail carriage.
On arrival, police officers found a man, believed to be in his 40s, trapped under the carriage.
He was treated by ambulance paramedics but died at the scene.
Transport for NSW said that light rail services have been disrupted and advised passengers to delay travel or take alternative transport.
A crime scene has been established and police are investigating the cause of the incident.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Very sad incident. In India too, we need stricter regulations for e-scooters. They zip around dangerously on our footpaths. Safety first! ðŸ™
Suspending all e-scooters seems like an overreaction. The real issue was drunk driving, not the vehicle itself. Australia should focus on better enforcement of DUI laws.
Tragic news. Makes me think - in Indian cities, we don't even have proper footpaths to walk safely, forget about e-scooter safety. Basic infrastructure needs improvement.
Two accidents in one day? Australia needs to review its urban transport safety urgently. Maybe they can learn from Japan's excellent public transport safety record.
E-scooters are eco-friendly but need proper lanes. In Bangalore, they mix with cars and pedestrians - recipe for disaster. Hope Indian authorities take note of this incident.
My heart goes out to the victim's family. This shows how important it is to have separate lanes for different modes of transport. Hope Australia finds a balanced solution soon.
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