E-scooter agreement extended in Waimakariri
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Pink Flamingo Scooters will continue zipping through towns like Rangiora and Kaiapoi.
The Wellington-based company has been confirmed as Waimakariri district’s e-scooter provider for another three years.
Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said the community has been overwhelmingly positive since the e-scooters were first introduced in 2020.
‘‘There has not been much negative feedback and Flamingo has been proactive in engaging with the council.
‘‘E-Scooter companies could have come here anyway, but because Flamingo has chosen to work with us we have been able to get a better outcome for the community.’’
An online survey found two-thirds of respondents supported extending the agreement for the pink scooters to be available in the district.
Gordon said the scooters provided another mode of transport when people were travelling short distances.
‘‘It is a tangible way we can enable innovation that gets people out of cars and reduces emissions.
‘‘I have used them myself and they are fun to use. It is a fun way of getting around.’’
Flamingo Scooters chief executive Jacksen Love said user surveys found that 73% of users said the scooters made it easier for them to not own or use a motor vehicle.
The company has been operating in Waimakariri since December 2020.
A no-ride zone on High St, between Durham St and the BNZ corner, is enforced by geo-fencing, and the scooters are equipped with GPS trackers making them easier to locate.
‘‘The scooters are looked after and promptly picked up and returned to places where they will be used,’’ Gordon said.
Love said scooter use was monitored and Flamingo Scooters had the ability to terminate rides or suspend accounts of those who misuse the scooters.
There are 150 e-scooters available on the streets in the Waimakariri district and Flamingo Scooters has a licence to operate up to 200.
Local people are contracted to look after the e-scooters.
A report prepared by council staff said there were about 85,000 rides on e-scooters over the last 21 months, mostly in Rangiora.
The scooters were also available in Kaiapoi, Woodend and Pegasus, while users also rode them along the Passchendaele Pathway between Kaiapoi and Rangiora.
Council staff have referred 26 complaints to Flamingo for scooters blocking pathways, while the company has received 60 complaints from the public over the last 21 months.
There have been 18 minor crashes over the same period, all due to rider error, the report said.
The agreement between the council and Flamingo Scooters sees the council paid an 8 cent levy for each ride, which is set aside for e-scooter infrastructure.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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I am lighter than air, but a hundred people cannot lift me. What am I?
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Poll: Should drivers retake the theory test every 10 years?
Drivers get where they need to go, but sometimes it seems that we are all abiding by different road rules (for example, the varying ways drivers indicate around a roundabout).
Do you think drivers should be required to take a quick driving theory test every 10 years?
Vote in the poll and share any road rules that you've seen bent! 😱
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47.9% Yes
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50.2% No
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1.9% Other - I'll share below
Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......
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