Beam to Commence Shared E-scooter Operations in the Town of Cambridge

Beam to Commence Shared E-scooter Operations in the Town of Cambridge

Published on 17 April 2024

Australia’s largest micromobility company Beam will bring its brand of community-first micromobility to the Town of Cambridge from 24 April.

Up to 120 purple e-scooters will be introduced to the Town of Cambridge, and be available for hire 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, accessible via downloading the Beam app and scanning the QR code on the e-scooters.

The app-based service will feature affordable pay-as-you-go rates ($1 to unlock and from $0.45 per minute to ride) and ‘virtual docking’ to protect city amenity.

Beam also operates in the neighboring City of Stirling, with the expanded operating area allowing riding access across the two local government areas.

Beam’s e-scooters are currently available for hire in Scarborough, Trigg and North Beach, as well as the suburbs of Karrinyup, Innaloo and Stirling. Over 20 new parking spots have been added in the expanded operating area of inner-west Perth, including Peasholm Dog Beach, Floreat Beach, and City Beach, allowing riders to access more of the coastal pathway.

Beam is Western Australia’s largest shared micromobility operator, with 750 Beam e-scooters already across metro Perth, and a presence in several of the state’s regional cities.

Beam’s ‘Beam Safe Academy’, the company’s major safety education and enforcement program, will be in place to educate riders on local riding rules and safe handling of e-scooters. The program includes:

A pre-trip in-app safety briefing for every rider, featuring instructions on how to park and ride safely. An in-app Beam Safety Quiz educating riders on the riding rules, with free credits offered to encourage rider education. Beam Safety Ambassadors patrolling high-traffic areas, promoting safe riding and parking A three-strikes policy, with riders facing suspension for bad riding and parking offenses. Those caught riding dangerously or breaking the law face permanent bans. In-person safety sessions to teach riders how to operate an e-scooter safely.

Beam will host free Beam Safe Academy safety sessions on Sunday 21 April from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm and Saturday 4 May from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm at City Beach Carpark (Carpark C308), where riders can attend, have a go on an e-scooter and ask any questions about the e-scooter trial.

Beam will deploy its Saturn 5 e-scooters, featuring safety-first technology to support both rider safety and that of other road users, including GPS tracking, geofencing and speed limiting technology to ensure safe integration into the city’s transport network.

The e-scooters will also feature tip-resistant dual kickstands, front suspension, triple brakes, wireless charging phone holders, a bluetooth-locked helmet, and swappable batteries.

The Town of Cambridge will also be the second Western Australian LGA to benefit from the introduction of seated e-scooters, aiming to encourage even longer trips, and to aid in increased transport accessibility.

The seated e-scooters offer a practical choice to those who find standing e-scooters and pedal assist e-bikes challenging for use, or those traveling longer distances.

High precision geofencing will be in place, ensuring riders remain inside the approved e-scooter operational zones, and swift action as the rider moves between zones with differing restrictions such as ‘slow zones’, where speed is automatically slowed, and ‘no go zones’ where e-scooters will not be allowed.

Beam’s Regional Operations Manager, Andrew Dodd said:

“We’re excited to be bringing our purple e-scooter fleet to the Town of Cambridge, opening up the ability for Beam’s riders to travel between the Town of Cambridge and City of Stirling on our purple shared e-scooters, and building on the city’s public transport offering.

“In particular, we look forward to providing greater coastal connectivity to both residents and visitors, allowing riders to explore more of Perth’s iconic coastline.

“We’re committed to investing in the local community, with new technology to improve safety and accessibility of our e-scooters, and new community programs to enable local businesses and community groups to unlock the benefits of shared micromobility.

“Safety is our first priority, and we are committed to enforcing safe riding, in collaboration with the police.

“We invest in rider education, prevention and deterrence, but above all, even the safest e-scooter requires a safer rider, and we ask that people do the right thing - that means wear a helmet, follow the road rules.”

Town of Cambridge Mayor, Gary Mack said:

"We are thrilled to welcome Beam and its innovative micromobility solution to the Town of Cambridge. This partnership represents a significant step forward in enhancing transportation options for our residents and visitors alike.

"The introduction of Beam's e-scooters will improve connectivity within our Town and foster greater accessibility to neighbouring areas such as the City of Stirling. It's a win-win for our community.

"We look forward to working closely with Beam during this 12-month trial period to ensure the successful integration of e-scooters into our transportation network, creating a greener, more efficient, and ultimately more enjoyable urban environment for everyone in the Town of Cambridge."