The West Australian (WA) capital of Perth has indefinitely suspended hiring of e-scooters following the death of a pedestrian in a collision.
The city of Perth suspended e-scooter hires from midday local time on Thursday in response to the death of a 51-year-old man on Tuesday.
He died after being struck from behind by an e-scooter, as he walked in central Perth with a friend on Saturday night, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Thursday.
He is the first pedestrian to die in an e-scooter accident in WA, said ABC.
A British tourist was arrested at the scene and has been charged with causing death while driving dangerously under the influence of alcohol.
Perth Deputy Lord Mayor Bruce Reynolds described the incident as a “tragic event’’ and said on Thursday that providers would collect e-scooters from the city’s streets.
He said that there was no timeframe for how long the suspension will last.
Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook told ABC radio that the suspension was a “perfectly appropriate’’ response.
