Georges River will be the first council in the Sydney metropolitan area to participate in a shared e-scooters trial. Kogarah town centre has been selected as the e-scooter trial area for a 12 month period which starts on January 10. The council is partnering with e-scooter operator Beam for the trial which will operate in a designated area between Harrow Road in the east to Jubilee Avenue in the west and Railway Parade in the north to Princes Highway in the south and taking in the railway station, St George Hospital, St George TAFE, Jubilee stadium and Kogarah town centre. Riders have to be 16 years or older and will be limited to 20km/h on the roads within the trial area that have a speed limit of 50 km/h or less. E-scooters will not be permitted on footpaths. The app-based service will feature pay-as-you-go rates and 'virtual docking'. Technology will control where the e-scooters are ridden, how fast they can travel and where they are parked. Usage isn't expected to be confined just to younger users. Research has shown that 23 per cent of e-scooter riders are aged over 45 years. Beam General Manager, Tom Cooper said the e-scooters will be parked at designated spots and users will be bound by the road rules. "We know e-scooters are new to the community," he said, "We are committed to working closely with the local community to ensure riders know their responsibilities when on an e-scooter. "There will be a team operating 24/7 to make sure the trial is not untidy," he said. "The trial will see the creation of local jobs to manage operations in the community. "We will introduce 60 e-scooters into Kogarah. More will be provided if the demand is there." NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the trial was an exciting step forward not only for Kogarah but for all of NSW. The trial will be managed by a shared e-scooter Local Working Group that includes Transport for NSW, NSW Health, St George Police, St George Business Chamber, local bus services and council representatives. Georges River Council Mayor, Sam Elmir said there will be definite economic benefits from the e-scooter trial. He said recent data shows that the less motor vehicles movement there are in town centres the more money is generated. A car visit may generate $1 while someone walking through the town centre may generate $10. "We hope that the average e-scooter user will generate somewhere in-between. "E-scooters are the way of the future," Councillor Elmir said. Georges River Council will host a come-and-try safety workshop at O'Keefes Lane, Kogarah on Friday, December 15 and another on January 6 next year. People will be able to comment on the trial though the council's Have Your Say website.