Townsville tops the State for e-scooter usage
E-scooters continue to thrive in Townsville with the city retaining its title as the most popular region for the mobility devices in Queensland.
RACQ’s second annual Public Transport Survey found 17.5% of public transport users in Townsville had jumped on an e-scooter in the past 12 months, compared with 11.2% in Brisbane and 6.3% on the Gold Coast.
The Club’s Transport Planning and Infrastructure Advisor Tim Mitchell said it showed residents had well and truly embraced e-mobility.
“While e-scooters are growing in popularity right across the State, our survey found some clear differences when it comes to why they’re using them for transport,” Mr Mitchell said.
“For example, in Brisbane almost a quarter (23.5%) of all e-scooter riders used them as a way to commute to work, whereas in Townsville 100% of rides were taken purely for recreation,” he said.
“This shows e-scooters have become a great drawcard, not only for tourists in North Queensland but also locals looking for fun ways to explore their own city.
“Townsville is a great example of a regional city embracing modern forms of mobility and benefiting from it.
“E-scooter users do need to remember to take safety seriously when they are jumping on the devices, don’t treat them like a toy. Make sure you know the road rules, you’re wearing a helmet and never ride under the influence of alcohol.”
Overall, public transport use in Townsville was low compared to other large cities and towns across the State with just 11.3% of people using it at least once per week.
Residents said the main reasons they avoided catching public transport were because they simply prefer to drive, don’t feel safe and services take too long. This highlights the challenges of providing traditional public transport services in regional cities.
RACQ conducts the survey annually to understand the use and perceptions of public transport and to advocate for better services for all Queenslanders.
Public transport usage (% of commuters) by mode in Queensland LGAs:
Main purpose for using public transport in Townsville:
Reasons Townsville residents don’t use public transport:
Source: RACQ's 2023 Public Transport Survey