Controversial e-scooters will be staying in Newcastle until November, after a year-long trial was extended.
The orange Neuron scooters arrived in the city last February and have carried riders more than 500,000 miles so far.
An initial 12-month experiment allowing them to be used in some parts of Newcastle was due to come to an end this Wednesday, February 16, but council bosses have finally confirmed that the trial will be extended for an extra nine months – and will now run until the end of November.
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The e-scooters ride area was expanded into new areas including Ouseburn and Heaton last November, having originally been focused around the city centre, Jesmond, and Gosforth.
The electric vehicles have proved popular with some locals, particularly young people and students, but have split opinion.
There have been complaints that they have been driven dangerously and parked inconsiderately in some areas, while one was flung from the High Level Bridge last month and narrowly missed a family on the Quayside below.
Newcastle City Council said that the extension of the trial would allow for further evidence to be collected before the Government decides whether to legalise the use of e-scooters across the country.
It is understood that Neuron will soon issue a report on the scooters’ presence in Newcastle, having conducted an evaluation of their first 12 months.
Coun Ged Bell, the local authority’s cabinet member for transport, said: We know that over the last 12 months, thousands of people have enjoyed and benefited from using the Neuron e-scooters that have been available in Newcastle.
“And, following the recent expansion of the trial into other areas of the city, we felt that extending the timescales was the right thing to do.”
The council added that it is thought that around a third of trips on the e-scooters have replaced a car journey.
Oliver Irons, Newcastle city manager at Neuron Mobility, added: “We are thrilled that the e-scooter trial in Newcastle has been extended. Over the past year, thousands of people have used our e-scooters to get around the city and they have quickly become an essential part of Newcastle’s transport mix.
“The e-scooters have been widely praised by users, and 88 per cent of our riders believe Neuron has created a positive impact in the city.”
The scheme's trial in Sunderland will also continue until the end of November, councillors agreed last week.
The Government had previously confirmed last month that the Tyneside trial was set to be extended until at least the end of March.
The scooters, which have a top speed of 15mph, can only be ridden legally by people aged 18 or over with a full or provisional driving licence.
