Sunderland City Council's story
Sunderland's e-scooter trial began the 31st March 2021 with e-scooters deployed across the city within a controlled geofenced zone.
The trial, operated by Neuron Mobility in partnership with the City Council, is aimed at:
- assisting the DfT in their decision to legalise e-scooters;
- helping our local economy by providing the city with a safe, environmentally-friendly transport option;
- delivering objectives of City Council`s Low Carbon Framework, to become a carbon-neutral city by 2040 and a carbon-neutral Council by 2030;
- boosting commuter journeys to key employment and education routes from City Centre to Hospital & University;
- promoting leisure journeys for visitors and tourists along Seafront, linking City Centre and Metro stations;
- supporting first and last mile journeys on routes with capacity limited public transport.
Neuron deploy a dedicated safety team as part of the trial. They use hospital-grade disinfectant to keep e-scooters and helmets completely clean and germ-free.
Teams move e-scooters to where they are needed most, assisting new riders with signing up on the app, and deliver practical tips for safe riding.
Sunderland hold regular meeting and events. E.g. briefing sessions with Councillors & stakeholders take place to provide updates on the trial, as well as talks at Residents' Associations, safe-scoot events, university student safety events and helmet-use events to promote safe riding rules and spread safety awareness. They provide incentives to riders to wear helmets and follow safety rules, by offering discounts to rides.
Since March 2021: over 45,000 trips have been made; over 75,000 miles have been travelled; estimated eight tonnes of C02 emissions saved; 27,500 sign-ups to the app; 31.5% of journeys replaced a car trip; 61.1% of trips were integrated with another form of transport.
Useful Learnings from Sunderland City Council
Education - Safety of riders and other road users is paramount and education of the riding rules most important to get the message out to the general public and riders - the 'do's and 'don't's associated with e-scooter usage.
Safety - all Neuron e-scooters are supplied with a helmet, voice-activated to warn riders of changes within the geofenced area, unique individual scooter recognition number, regularly sanitised with hospital strength cleaner, geofenced to limited areas within the city, speed restricted zones, no park zones.
Engagement - liaising with councillors, stakeholders, local businesses, police, disability groups, university and public transport partners giving regular feedback of the trial with Q&A sessions.
Regular Events/Campaigns - video recording with Sunderland Footballer Luke O`Nein to promote the riding rules, scoot safe event in the City Centre, Uni safety event at freshers week, helmet safety awareness week. There is a safety quiz in the app aimed at students giving £4 credit.
Sunderland City Council's metrics
Carbon emissions reduced.
Miles travelled.
Number of trips made.
Number of car journeys replaced.
Number of combined multi modal trips.
Number of trips made for commuting.
Number of trips made for leisure purposes.
Distance covered in the city.
Number of Neuron accounts for the city.
Number of complaints.
