New e-scooter operator announced as scheme is set to continue in Sunderland until May 2024 following end of Neuron trial

A new e-scooter scheme has been announced today (Monday, November 7), with Sunderland City Council working in partnership with Zwings, after previous operator Neuron confirmed its trial would be ending on November 30.

Neutron’s orange scooters will disappear from the streets of Sunderland to be replaced by Zwings’s sky blue-coloured vehicles.

The Department for Transport trial has been running since November 2020 and raising awareness of environmentally friendly alternatives to travelling by car.

Thousands of people have used the scooters across Wearside, with a total of 170,000 miles travelled and 40 per cent of trips believed to have replaced car journeys.

Zwings has operated e-scooter schemes across the UK, including successful trials in Cheltenham, Gloucester, and Yeovil, and was recently acquired by Zeus Mobility Group, which operates in over 30 cities across the world.

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.

Details on how to register and use the new scheme will be published in the coming weeks with the changeover expected to take place at the beginning of December.

Deputy leader of Sunderland City Council and cabinet Member for Clean Green City, Cllr 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."

Chief operating officer at Zwings, Stephen Bee, added: "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."