Hire e-scooters on Bendigo roads and footpaths could create "a lot of confusion for road users", the city's top road cop said.
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"It is going to create more things for people to be aware of on the road ... and people are not used to them," Bendigo Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Ian Brooks said.
"All of a sudden there is a scooter popped out on the footpath or coming around the corner, so car drivers need to be particularly aware."
City of Greater Bendigo council is poised to vote on a 12-month e-scooter trial at its meeting on Monday, November 20.
Councillors would site a report on how similar trials have fared in other cities including Ballarat.
Data from the Ballarat trial showed an increase in collisions involving hire e-scooters, Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"Which is of major concern to us," he said.
"They are very small, brightly coloured ... people are not used to them.
"And it also creates confusion about the legality of them."
A statewide trial of private e-scooters over the 2023 winter period had been extended over the summer months, with riders having to adhere to strict restrictions.
Police had caught e-scooter riders not sticking to those restrictions, Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"We have detected quite a few that had been either modified or had been purchased from other areas," he said.
"And some people who had been subject to court orders or infringements that did not have licenses thought it was an easy way to get around."
E-scooter riders abide by the same alcohol, drug and mobile device restrictions as if they were driving a car, can not ride on footpaths, and have a 20km/h speed limit on roads.
Trial does have its positives, say police
There were positive impacts council's proposed e-scooter trial would have in Bendigo, the senior sergeant said.
"Of course it raises some concerns, but it also raises some positive issues," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"We would get a more sustainable mode of transport around Bendigo and it would help protect the environment around our area.
"And potentially take some cars off the road as well which has some bonuses in itself."
The proposed hire e-scooter trial area would stretch Scott Street, Ascot to La Trobe University in the south, Strathdale Park in the east and Bendigo Showgrounds in the west.
"The trials are very carefully managed as to where you can take them and where, how far they can go and all that sort of stuff," Senior Sergeant Brooks said.
"So it is not like we're going to have e-scooters going up and down the highway."
