Last week Zwings was selected to present to representatives from each of the 43 police forces from across the UK for the National Police Roundtable Event focussed on e-scooters. The Detective Superintendent and Constabulary for Safe and Social Roads tasked Zwings with providing insight into our perspective on the impact of e-scooters and how we deliver education and rule enforcement in our trials. The discussion was designed to help to provide key insight into the future policing approach on e-scooters.
I have found working with Zwings and ease to do so as they are professional and are taking the same stand towards anti-social behaviour and scooters being ridden against the rules that Zwings had put in place but also the law. I have reported a number of riders towards Joe and the team and they have taken positive action in imposing punishments towards riders who break the rules. With the new 2 strike policy tackling the main issues that have been reported regarding the improper use of the scooter, I have found this reassuring that Zwings are taking ownership of the issues and helping resolve them.
PSCO Wesley Ashbrook from Avon & Somerset Constabulary
At Zwings, we are continually analysing our operations to identify how we can further enhance education and rule enforcement for our riders, pedestrians and other road users such as car drivers and cyclists. Our team works in close collaboration with road safety experts, police representatives and disability groups to develop initiatives and technologies to mitigate misuse.
Thank you for the fantastic presentation and general contribution to the NRPOII National E-Scooter Roundtable Event. On a personal note, your contribution was not only interesting and informative but also re-enforced my viewpoint that collaborative approaches achieve far greater success than individual, siloed mentally.
Detective Superintendent Paul Keasey, NPCC National Roads Policing Capability Lead, ‘Operations & Intelligence’
It has been a fantastic experience being a part of the event and it was certainly insightful learning more about the police’s developing strategy to manage the increase of e-scooters on the streets of the UK. Notably, it was fulfilling to hear that several of Zwings initiatives towards rider and pedestrian safety are being taken back to other towns and cities to introduce in other e-scooter trials.
Joe Lewin, CEO of Zwings
Rider Safety Checklist
We are committed to working with stakeholders in each of our trial areas to deliver tailored road safety education and rule enforcement to clamp down on misuse. We believe this is the only way to help oversee the hopeful transition of these new modes of travel into Britain’s transport infrastructure following formal legalisation. We are listening to vulnerable people, including the elderly and the visually impaired, via monthly calls to learn of their relative interests and concerns so that we can make amendments to our service. As a community-first operator, we are working towards implementing and managing e-scooter operations that account for everyone’s voices – not just the riders. This includes consulting with residents to make them feel more engaged. For example, below are some examples of double-sided A6 leaflets we hand out to residents in our trial areas to introduce ourselves, provide education, and offer one of several ways of reporting misuse.
We have been working in close consultation with the police throughout the e-scooter trials to refine the delivery of education and rule enforcement and assist in the penalisation of riders misusing the service. We have a 2 strike policy, however, in many instances, we issue immediate account bans to prevent misuse.
Zwings strives to educate residents about the benefits of e-scooters, and how to use them responsibly, while providing a platform for all members of the community to easily raise questions, submit feedback, or offer suggestions for improvement. We encourage everyone who sees any misuse to:
- Contact us at: community@zwings.co.uk
- Provide the precise location and time of the incident. If possible, it would be great if you can provide the license plate too and any further information to help investigate the case.
To learn more about the Zwings micro-mobility utopia and why should the UK be embracing the 200% surge in demand for electric scooters, follow our blog, and download the Zwings app to take an electric scooter ride today.