A trial of an e-scooter rental scheme in Newcastle has come under fire for risking the ‘safety and accessibility’ of disabled pedestrians.
Newcastle City Council has extended the trial with e-scooter providers Neuron Mobility until May 2024.
However, the National Federation of the Blind UK (NFBUK) has called for it to be ‘closed down immediately’ due to concerns about the impact the scooters are having on accessibility.
'On a recent visit to Newcastle, I was shocked to see the orange Neuron e-scooters being dumped on pavements and next to pedestrian crossings, creating dangerous trip hazards and obstructions for any blind, visually impaired, older and disabled people,’ said a street access campaigns coordinator from NFBUK who visited the area in early February.
‘The trial has been operating for a long time and it is clear it has failed to protect the safety and accessibility of disabled pedestrians and it needs to be closed down immediately.
‘Do the elected councillors visit the city centre and witness how the e-scooters are being left strewn across pavements and blocking the access on the pavements or being left on the tactile paving which blind people need to find a green man crossing, to cross the road?’
A Newcastle City Council spokesperson said the council had made a number of changes as part of the agreement to extend the trial.
‘As part of our agreement to extend the trial with Neuron Mobility until May 2024, a number of changes have been made including the introduction of new technology to better control where the e-scooters are ridden and parked,’ they said.
‘We know that there have been concerns about some riders not using or parking the scooters in a safe, responsible or considerate manner and Neuron has worked closely with us, with local councillors and communities to understand and address these issues.
‘Under the new arrangements, more than 100 designated parking stations have been created and riders will be required to finish their journey at one of these locations. This will help to avoid scooters being left blocking pavements or causing a hazard for people, especially those with a visual impairment.’
Westminster City Council last week called for harsher penalties for abandoned dockless bikes and for dockless bike companies to agree a ‘fine structure’ to ensure all companies are charging users the same penalties if they park their bikes irresponsibly.
Penalty fines currently vary between different operators; for example, Lime charges users £2 for a second offence, whereas Human Forest charges users up to £15 for a second parking offence.
Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, cabinet member for City Management and Air Quality, said: 'We are seeing thousands of dockless bikes left in Westminster every day and many of them are blocking pavements and roads. This is a safety hazard for pedestrians, especially for those with mobility needs such as those with limited eyesight.
'If we see bikes parked dangerously the council will confiscate them. But the dockless bike companies need to do more and handing out harsher penalties to irresponsible users is a good place to start.'
