They were launched just this week, but several e-scooters have been abandoned already in Jesmond streets.

The bright orange e-scooters from Neuron Mobility and distributed by Newcastle City Council, are meant to be a safe and environmentally-friendly means of transport for people who need to make essential journeys amidst COVID-19 regulations.

However, some Jesmond residents have pointed out that the Neuron e-scooters may already be facing a similar fate as the “Mobike” scheme, terminated in 2019 due to extreme misuse by riders.

Speaking to JesmondLocal, Fiona Clarke says she has seen an excess of scooters in Jesmond this week, believing them to be “a novelty at the moment” and noting that “not many riders wear helmets and many don’t stop at red lights.” She says she hopes the novelty will settle down soon.

A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council told JesmondLocal: “There are two parking locations in the Jesmond area, one at Jesmond Metro station and the other at West Jesmond station. If the scooters are parked elsewhere within the service area, then Neuron’s operations team pick them up and return them to these parking stations.”

Users must provide proof of a provisional UK driver’s license in order to ride. The e-scooters are equipped with automated voice commands that offer their users safety instructions while driving. Although helmets are issued with every scooter free of charge, it appears some riders are choosing to forego the protection. Resident Yve Ngoo claims she saw “six young users riding down Acorn Road without helmets.”

Ngoo told JesmondLocal she thinks the e-scooters are a “great idea in principle, intended for sustainable transport for responsible adults” but believes they should be “decommissioned until after lockdown”.

Another resident, Emily, told JesmondLocal: “I love the idea of low emissions vehicles, but there’s clearly no incentive for people to park them considerately. I’ve already seen scooters just set in the middle of the pavement on Sandyford Road three times now.”

The spokesperson for Newcastle City Council added: “We’re pleased with how well the e-scooters have been received by people in the city this week. On average there have been 1,000 journeys made per day and in the overwhelming majority of cases, riders have used the e-scooters in a safe and responsible manner.

“All users agree to abide by the riding rules – which are there to keep themselves and others safe – where they sign up on the Neuron app and those who do not could be banned from using the e-scooters in the future. At this time we would remind people that the e-scooters are available for essential journeys while lockdown restrictions are in place.”

For more information about the Neuron e-scooters, visit Newcastle City Council website.