It is still legal to hire and ride the orange-coloured e-scooters in Newcastle as the council has agreed a short-term extension with operator Neuron.
The trial that has legally allowed the orange e-scooters to be hired and driven in Newcastle since February 2021 was due to end on November 30. Councils around England have the option to extend their trials through until May 2024.
While Newcastle City Council has not agreed on a long-term extension, it has struck a deal with Neuron to keep the scooters running for a short-term period. The vehicles are still available to hire in Newcastle and can be ridden legally, a council spokesperson told ChronicleLive.
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They added: “We have put in place a short-term agreement with Neuron Mobility to enable the e-scooter trial to continue to operate while we finalise arrangements for the longer-term future of the scheme.
“We look forward to providing further details as soon as we are able to do so.”
The e-scooters can be hired and ridden in areas including Newcastle City Centre, the Quayside, Arthur's Hill, Wingrove, Ouseburn, Byker, Elswick, Heaton, High Heaton, Jesmond and Gosforth.
Privately owned e-scooters can not be ridden legally on roads in the UK, the only way to legally ride one in the UK is through the trials various councils in England are taking part in. That may change in the future, depending on how the hire trial goes. Sunderland has extended its trial until May 2024, but is switching from Neuron to a new operator, Zwings.
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