E-scooter users in Nottingham are not being put off by the new £1 unlock fee, according to the company who owns them. Superpedestrian say that use of their e-scooters has not changed since implementing the new fee earlier this year. They are currently running a promotion in the city where riders receive 50% off the fee.
A spokesperson for Superpedestrian said: "We’ve seen around 120,000 trips since the unlock fee was introduced. We’re seeing a very comparable number of trips since the unlock fee, and we often see days with more ridership than before." They said they have not seen a reduction in use and added: "We’ve actually been able to put more scooters on the street since then to keep up with very high demand in Nottingham. Since the beginning of the trial in October 2020, Nottingham riders have taken 1.6 million trips by scooter."
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People in Nottingham city centre have expressed mixed opinions on the new scheme and some say they hope it acts as a deterrent for those who use them inappropriately.
John Gallagher, 51, uses the e-scooters to get to work early in the morning, he said: "I like using them because they are very cheap to commute to work. They are easy to use.
"When I commute early in the morning, there's not much traffic and there's hardly anyone on the roads. Usually when it is dry I walk to work and that takes about 40 minutes, but when it is raining I hop on an e-scooter and it only takes eight minutes and it is 12p a minute."
He added: "The price is going up but I would still use it as when I go to work at that time there are no buses. I am happy to pay since I am using it to get to work and not for leisure. The most I have paid is £1.56 and to say one trip on the bus is £2.20 so if they keep it as cheap as they do, I will still use them.
"When I go in the morning, a lot of students are using them for leisure. I do not see many people using them for work like I do."
19 year old student Mitchell Ryan isn't too bothered by the change. He said: "I don't really use them and do not have the balance for them anyway."
A woman from Annesley who did not want to be named said: "I think it is a good idea. We do not see them much where we live but it would stop misuse of them. I know they can be quite controversial."
Maureen Carver, 85, from Bilborough said: "I think it is good if it stops the youngsters charging around on them. I have even seen them fit two young children on. They do seem to leave then anywhere which can be a bit of a danger. It will try and control it a bit, I wonder if that is why they are doing it."
Naomi Tesfay, 20, from Nottingham also uses the e-scooters to commute to work. She said: "I just found out about [the fee] but it won't put me off using them. I use them to get to and from work, it only used to cost me 72p, now it costs me £2 for my five to ten minute journey."
Superpedestrian say they are soon going to be installing parking stations. The e-scooters are part of a continuing government trial.
