Electric scooters would be a good fit into the vibe of Wellington’s CBD but would need to be restricted to areas of lower pedestrian traffic, says Wellington Chamber of Commerce.

"There are obviously some safety issues, both for users and pedestrians, as we’ve seen in some other places with Lime scooters, but I can’t think of a reason we shouldn’t at least trial them," says Chief Executive John Milford.

"From what I’ve seen, they would be a great addition to the city, but there would need to restrictions on where they could be used.

"For example, you couldn’t have them on the high-traffic footpaths along the Golden Mile - from Lambton Quay to Courtenay Place - or on The Terrace or Featherstone St. That would be asking for trouble.

"But they could work on the quays, the waterfront, and Taranaki St, Oriental Pde, Kent and Cambridge Terraces, and beyond.

"How to enforce that would be an issue the council would have to look at, but I don’t think they should be dismissed out of hand just because of that.

"Personal responsibility would come into that, as well as the safety aspects - as it does for driving or riding anything. Perhaps scooter suppliers could look at how better it could educate users in both rider and pedestrian safety.

"Anything that helps in some little way to get people in and out and around the city without using cars is a good thing, and if that is the kind of less-car future facing us, then we should be considering them.

"This type of technology is the way of the future in transport solutions, and rather than letting regulation get in the way, we should be embracing it.

"They would add to the vibe and the spontaneity that are features of our compact CBD."

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