E-scooters will be available to hire in Sunderland with a new operator.
The Department for Transport has confirmed the on-going trial will be extended from November 30 through until May 2024. It is up to individual councils if they wish to continue allowing people to hire electric scooters.
Sunderland City Council confirmed a new e-scooter operator will step in from the end of November. Zwings will replace Neuron's. It means the orange scooters will disappear and be replaced by sky-blue coloured vehicles from the beginning of December.
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Details on how to register will be published soon.
The new operator will initially launch with 100 e-scooters during the winter and the scheme is expected to more than double in size in 2023.
Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for Clean Green City, Councillor Claire Rowntree said: "Newer, greener and low-carbon transport is important for all of us and we have welcomed working with previous trial operator Neuron and we wish them well.
"I am delighted that we have been able to move quickly to appoint Zwings so that residents and visitors can continue to enjoy the benefits of low-carbon travel.
"We have a City Plan for a more dynamic, healthy and vibrant Sunderland, and low carbon transport is a big part of this."
Sunderland is one of dozens of cities and towns that are operating similar schemes.
Chief Operating Officer at Zwings, Stephen Bee said: "Zwings are excited to launch our e-scooters in such a vibrant city as Sunderland. We aim to enable more people to switch away from car usage and towards a smaller form of transport with lower carbon emissions.
"The e-scooter scheme in Sunderland will be designed with the scheme users and the wider community in mind and delivered in partnership with Sunderland City Council."
Newcastle City Council has yet to confirm if it will extend its e-scooter trial.
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