E-scooters 'here to stay' in Ballarat after two year trial

By the end of 2024 they will become a permanent part of Victoria's road rules.

Across Victoria, eight million trips were recorded on the "closely monitored trial", which has run since December 2021, but the government will need to take the next six months to iron out more safety details.

Data collected during the past two years shows "most e-scooter users" do the right thing but "more time is needed to improve compliance", a state government release notes.

Between April and October the same road rules will be in place.

During the next six months the state government will launch a "refreshed education campaign" which will focus on safe rider behavior, helmet use and parking.

Later in 2024 the state government will introduce regulations to make "e-scooters safer for all road users".

Committee for Ballarat chief executive Michael Poulton said it was good news to have more transport options if the aim is to take cars off the street and reduce congestion.

Mr Poulton said the challenge during the trial had been rider behavior.

"The more that we can do to help educate riders, regulate the riding behavior and penalise those who do the wrong thing ... the better," he said.

Mr Poulton said he would like to see a cost reduction and incentive for riders who use e-scooters often - to encourage more use.

Regulations of private e-scooters and how fast they can travel would also be needed.

You must be 16 years old to ride, be wearing a helmet and riding under 20kmh

You cannot ride on footpaths, carry a passenger or drink and ride.

E-scooters can only be ridden on roads with a speed limit of 60kmh or less.

Public transport minister Gabrielle Williams said in a statement the scooters have "proven popular among commuters".

"We have more work to do on safety and compliance to ensure that e-scooters are safe when they're made permanent later this year."