Leading e-scooter operator Neuron Mobility is celebrating its first-year anniversary of operating in the North East this week as Newcastle City Council confirms the successful trial will be extended until November 2022.
Since launching last year, the trial has been highly successful, with new data from the company showing over half a million miles have now been travelled on the company’s e-scooters in Newcastle and close to 100,000 miles in Sunderland. In its first year, the scheme has helped riders complete well over 500,000 journeys across the North East. According to a recent survey of Neuron riders, the scheme has been widely praised by users since its launch, with 88% of them believing Neuron has created a positive impact in their cities.
Riders have found many reasons to use Neuron’s e-scooters over the year from commuting and running errands to just taking in the sights of their city. Notably, responses from users indicate over 30% of trips taken have directly replaced a car trip, saving an estimated 50 tonnes of CO2 in emissions. An impressive 55% of riders made a purchase in a local business as part of their most recent journey underlining the significant impact the e-scooters have had on the local economy as the region gradually came out of lockdown over the course of the last 12-months.
Promoting safety and rider education has been a key priority for Neuron to ensure people are empowered to safely take up this new technology. To underline this commitment Neuron has invested heavily in safety messaging over the past 12 months by giving thousands of safety briefings at ScootSafe events with Neuron’s safety ambassadors engaging directly with residents to brief them on e-scooter safety. This included the first of what will be an annual Helmet Safety Awareness Week in October, with £100,000 invested in incentivising helmet use and safe riding during the campaign. Local celebrities, such as two Newcastle Falcons players and a Sunderland AFC player, have endorsed the e-scootersand worked with Neuron to promote the safe riding rules.
Neuron’s N3 e-scooter, which has been operating in Newcastle since launch, has been specifically designed to be the market leader in road safety with a strong focus on safety features and rider education. The Neuron e-scooter is packed with a number of safety innovations including the world’s first app-controlled locked helmet attached to the e-scooter, 999 emergency button which can tell if someone has had a fall, a ‘helmet selfie’ feature awards riders free 30p credits if they take a picture of themselves wearing the helmet, and an in-app reaction test at certain times of the day which promotes self reflection and helps riders assess whether they should be riding an e-scooter or not.
Overall, 30% of Neuron’s riders are women, significantly above standard industry figures of around 20%. Feedback from female riders indicate that features of Neuron’s N3 e-scooter such as the wide footboard for stability and the ‘Follow my Ride’ feature that allows friends to track a users’ journey are popular with women but highlights there is still work to be done in attracting more women to use e-scooters.
George Symes, UK Regional Manager at Neuron Mobility, said: “We are delighted to be celebrating over half a million miles in Newcastle and nearly 100,000 miles in Sunderland and we would like to thank all of our riders, partners and particularly the councils that have put great trust in us. We have learned a great deal during our first year operating in the North East. We have been really encouraged with the level of uptake and support for our e-scooters from the community.
“This has been underlined by Newcastle City Council’s commitment to extend the scheme until November and we are looking forward to continuing to provide a safe and sustainable way for residents to get around over the course of the year.”
Cllr Ged Bell, Cabinet Member for development, neighbourhoods and transport at Newcastle City Council, said: “It is great that so many people have taken the opportunity to use Neuron’s e-scooters over the past year, and we are delighted that they will continue to provide residents with a safe and sustainable form of transport following the extension of the trial.
“Taking part in an e-scooter trial was one of the actions in the city’s adopted Net Zero Action Plan and we are keen to understand further the role schemes like this may play in the future transport network of the city.
“We’ve seen many people benefiting from safe and responsible use of the e-scooters, with around half a million miles travelled by e-scooter in the city, and we are pleased that Neuron take action where there are instances of them being used in an anti-social and inappropriate manner.
“We will continue to monitor the impact of the trial, which is providing valuable information that could help inform future schemes of this nature.”
Sarah Green, Chief Executive Officer, Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, said: “Neuron’s e-scooters have been a great addition to our city. Not only have they provided a safe and socially distanced option for people to commute and explore the city, but they are also supporting Newcastle’s ambitious sustainability agenda.
“It is fantastic to see how the use of the new technology has supported key workers throughout Covid-19 lockdowns and provided a socially distanced travel option so people could return to the office safely.
“As we look to the future and towards Newcastle’s net zero ambitions, offers such as Neuron e-scooters will be integral in driving people to cleaner and more active modes of transport and will provide an exciting new opportunity for locals and visitors alike to enjoy our city in a greener way.”
Important Riding Rules and Safety Tips:
- Riders must be 18 years old and above
- Must have provisional or full driving license
- No riding on pavements
- Helmets are not mandatory but their use is strongly recommended
- One rider per e-scooter
- Keep a safe distance from pedestrians
- Do not ride under the influence of alcohol or other substances
- Be aware and remove earphones
- Keep both hands on the handlebars
- Maintain a safe distance from other vehicles particularly when turning
- Park responsibly and don’t cause an obstruction
Please note, failure to adhere to the rules may result in Police prosecution as well as points on, or a loss of a rider’s driving licence altogether. Should anyone see any rider breaking these rules, please report the exact time, location and licence plate number to our 24/7 customer service centre.