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Tier will further tackle e-scooter safety issues in the capital by encouraging riders and pedestrians to report misparking, misuse and abandonment through a new QR code feature.
The feature, launched in partnership with AI startup Captur, is just one of the several initiatives rolled out to improve the safety of operations in London as the trial extends to Westminster.
Tier has equipped its newly launched fleet of e-scooters in Westminster and existing vehicles with QR codes, which, when scanned, will allow members of the public and riders to easily report an issue directly to Tier’s operations team.
Once the team has been alerted of any misuse, Tier Street Rangers are dispatched to solve the issue, with an average response time of under ten minutes. Since using the QR codes on Tier’s existing fleet, there has been a 60% improvement in response time to reports submitted by the public.
Riders and pedestrians will be incentivised to report misuse, as each time they do so, they will earn five points towards a donation to a charity of their choice. In partnership with Percent, Captur will make a £1 donation after said charity has been awarded 100 points.
Captur will provide Tier with real-time data and analytics, including immediate notifications of misuse, location data and photographic evidence, as well as heat maps showing areas of increased misuse in each Borough and custom weekly and monthly data charts. This will allow Tier to not only keep an accurate record of e-scooter misuse around London but target specific locations that may have high amounts of misuse with improved safety measures.
Tier will also support infrastructure planning through the sharing of its safety reports, based on this data, with local councils and authorities.
Fred Jones, regional general manager for Northern Europe at Tier, said: “The safety of our users and members of the public, especially those with visual impairment, is our number one priority as the e-scooter trials expand across London.
“The partnership with Captur now means people can more efficiently report e-scooter issues directly to our team, whilst not only playing a part in protecting disabled and visually impaired communities but contributing a donation to charities doing fantastic work.
“Over the longer term, we truly believe the data collected from this new initiative will help us identify misuse hotspots and subsequently implement new and improved safety measures.”
Charlotte Bax, CEO at Captur, said: “Last year accelerated the huge shift towards on-demand and shared mobility. It’s clear members of the public want more convenient travel options, but they also really care about the impact on their local community.
“That’s why Captur has partnered with Tier to provide on-demand reporting that’s quick, easy, and accessible for all. Together we can use tech as the enabler for the future of our cities and give back at the same time.”
Kirsty Hoyle, CEO of Transport for All, said: “Whilst e-scooters are a great addition to London’s transport mix, offering a far more sustainable mode of transport, we know there has been some concern amongst people with visual impairments and other disabled people.
“This latest innovation to make it far easier to report misuse of e-scooters will help improve confidence amongst disabled communities and make the introduction of e-scooters safer for all.”
