Shelter Brewing Co boss Paul Maley wants Neuron’s e-Scooters to stay in Busselton

The head of a major Busselton venue has backed calls for electric scooters to remain in place as the trial deadline nears. Neuron Mobility has been operating the transport option in the city since December 2022, but the future of the service is set to be decided by Busselton councillors in the coming months with the trial scheduled to end in November. With the deadline looming, Shelter Brewing Co chief executive Paul Maley has thrown his support behind e-scooters being a permanent fixture in the region. He said with limited transport options in the city, the scooters were a good option for residents and visitors to get to and from venues. “We have close to half a million tourists visiting Shelter Brewing Co every year and much of the tourist accommodation is situated along the long coastal stretches,” Mr Maley said. “So with the arrival of e-scooters we’ve been getting access to those guests that we would’ve missed out on previously. “The City of Busselton has excellent footpaths and infrastructure that is suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and also e-scooters. “E-scooters also provide really good environmental benefits and obviously it’s a new industry to town, so there are new employment opportunities. “Our staff use the e-scooters as well. We employ people from all age groups and e-scooters are a popular choice among our team.” Data from Neuron said 99 per cent of people the company surveyed believed they have made a positive impact on the city, but a survey by the City of Busselton earlier this year found many residents were against them remaining. More than 62 per cent of the more than 1200 respondents were against the city extending the current trial in March, citing parking, helmet litter, abandoned e-scooters and rider-behaviour issues. As part of the extension of the trial until November, the council required Neuron to address community concerns about the service.