Safety on Pacific Coast Highway was cited as the No. 1 concern when it came to the ban of “shared on-demand personal mobility devices,” otherwise known as shared electric scooters or “e-scooters.”
Companies such as Bird and Lime—followed by Lyft, Uber, Bolt and a slew of other startups—have brought e-scooters to major cities across the country, where users can download phone apps to access them at the push of a button. But Malibu’s road infrastructure makes the city too dangerous for the scooters, according to a city staff report.
“State law prohibits the operation of an electric scooter on a highway with a speed limit of more than 25 miles per hour unless the scooter is operated within a Class II bike lane,” the staff report explained. “A Class II bike lane provides a solid striped lane specifically for one-way bike travel on a street or highway. Most of Malibu has Class III bike lanes, which provide a shared space for bicycles and vehicles. A Class III bike lane does not provide as much separation between bicycles and vehicles as a Class II bike lane does. As such, electric scooters are illegal along PCH in Malibu.”
The resolution passed in a unanimous, 5-0, vote, and will next come before council for a final reading and adoption during the Monday, Sept. 9, council meeting.