A popular e-scooter operator has left Logan.
Logan City Council is now searching for a replacement operator.
Brisbane City Council became the first city in Australia to cancel its contract with Beam Mobility in September, following several allegations the company was dogding fees.
Beam is under similar investigations in Hobart and New Zealand, alleged to have added hundreds of “unapproved” e-scooters to the cities’ streets every day.
Brisbane council claims the Singapore-based company “systematically exceeded” its cap by around 500 scooters a day for a year – costing council an estimated $330,000 in registration fees.
Beam Mobility CEO Alan Jiang in August apologised for any instances where the company “exceeded the vehicle allocation”.
“We emphatically reject any suggestion that this was a ‘scheme’ to deprive councils of revenue,” he said.
“In response, we are committed to a full and thorough revision of our processes to ensure this does not happen again.”
Now the company has ended its contract with Logan council.
“Beam have provided notice that they will discontinue operations in Logan as of 22 November 2024,” a council report released this week claimed.
“Beam’s withdrawal from delivering e-mobility services in Logan, unless replaced with new
operators, will result in fewer transport options in our community.”
Council said the e-scooter service had become popular, with more than 163,000 trips taken since Beam’s launch in Logan in December 2021.
According to the report, Beam data shows the scooters were used as a “last mile” solution to connect to other modes of transport that would normally require a car.
The majority of users started and ended their journeys in Logan Central, parts of Woodridge, and the vicinity around Springwood Mall and Kingston Railway Station.
Council this week voted to establish a new 12-month e-scooter trial “with no more than
two operators”.
A Beam Mobility spokesperson did not say why the company was leaving Logan, but thanked residents for their support.
“Beam Mobility closed its shared micromobility operations in the City of Logan at the end of November, after consultation with Logan Council,” the spokesperson said.
“We are proud to have served the City of Logan since December 2021.
“During this time, riders have travelled more than 287,000 kilometres with over 150,000 zero emissions trips on Beam’s e-scooters across Logan.
“Beam’s operations in other Queensland areas Hervey Bay, Mackay, Cairns and Port Douglas will continue as normal.”
