E-scooters to leave city after five years
Neuron MobilityE-scooters are set to leave a city five years after the start of a trial.
Operator Neuron confirmed it would stop operating in Newcastle on 31 May, despite the scheme being "well received" locally.
It said more than 1.6 million trips had been taken since the programme's launch in February 2021, but the "difficult decision" was part of broader plans to wind down operations across the United Kingdom.
The trial was originally meant to last 12 months but has been extended several times, most recently in 2024.
The firm's UK head Mehmet Can Isiklarli said e-scooter journeys had replaced about 650,000 car journeys, helping reduce CO2 emissions.
"Since launching in Newcastle in February 2021, the trial has been one of the longest-running e-scooter programmes in the UK," he added.
Worries had been raised in the past about the scooters "zig-zagging" down roads, underage riders and people riding two to a scooter or on pavements.
However, Neuron said more than 99.99% of trips were completed safely.
The firm ended a similar scheme in nearby Sunderland in 2022, blaming energy costs.
According to its website, Newcastle is the only city in the UK it currently operates in. It also runs schemes across Australia and Canada.
