HEaLth iMpact of E-bikes and e-scooTers (HELMET): Baseline data collection for the evaluation of e-bike and e-scooter hire schemes

Aims of the research: During the autumn of 2023, Bristol will be adding e-bikes to their government approved e-scooter hire scheme, and Leeds will be introducing an e-bike only hire scheme. To understand the pros and cons of these schemes, we need to collect information before and after they are implemented. This project aims to collect information on physical activity levels, how people get between places, and their quality of life, before the start of these schemes and at one year post introduction. As part of a larger project which we hope to run in the future we would compare the information collected before and after scheme implementation, to see if there are any differences. Background of the research: Physical activity is important for physical and mental health. Walking or cycling between places is one way to be physically active. E-bikes are pedal bikes which have a battery to help make cycling a bit easier, especially on hills. Using e-bikes could be a good option to increase physical activity but we are not sure. E-scooters run on batteries meaning you don't have to push them. E-scooters may decrease physical activity if people use them instead of walking. The government is currently unsure about whether to legalise the private use of e-scooters. The government has been testing e-scooters in some parts of the UK since 2020. People can pay to use them for trips within each area. While certain types of e-bikes are currently legal in the UK, they can be expensive to buy and tricky to store at home. Being able to pay to use them only when they are needed may encourage more use. Design and methods used: We will conduct a survey in four UK cities during the summer and early autumn of 2023. Two of the cities (Leeds and Bristol) will be introducing schemes in the autumn that allow the public to pay to use e-bikes and/or e-scooters. Two will not have these types of schemes (Bradford and Sheffield). This initial project will ask survey questions. We will send a link to the survey to at least 40,000 people across the different cities. We will ask about how much physical activity people do and their quality of life. We will also ask questions that will help us understand how people get between places. For example, cycling, walking, scooting, driving, or using public transport. We plan to ask the same questions about a year later, when the e-bike and e-scooter hire schemes have started. This will be done at the same sites, but also two new sites, Bath and Plymouth. We can then later look to see if physical activity levels have changed. We can also check if use of e-bikes and e-scooters has changed. We will interview people to understand how they feel about these types of e-bike and e-scooter hire schemes and if they have changed how they travel. We also want to ask how easy the survey is to read and if it could be improved. Patient and public involvement: The project has been developed in consultation with council partners and has received input from an NIHR Applied Research Collaboration West (NIHR ARC-West) PPI panel who have shaped the overall project design. Further, a member of the public (PPI co-applicant) recruited through a community organisation in Bristol (LifeCycle) reviewed the funding application and wrote lay summaries. She will attend project management meetings to provide a lay user perspective, and contribute to study and survey design, and results publication. The researchers will also consult a group of members of the public to help with understanding the study findings and to get suggestions for the next phase of the project. Publication of results: We will provide a report of our findings to the councils included in the research. We will provide an NIHR Open Research article for the research funder. We will also write a publication for a journal including summary information from the surveys and interviews. We expect the main study results in a second full evaluation study.

Regular physical activity contributes to the prevention of a range of chronic diseases and reductions in all-cause mortality. Increased active travel has been associated with an increase in overall physical activity levels, without compensatory reductions in recreational physical activity. While e-bikes are a form of active travel, e-scooters are not. E-scooters, may, however influence active travel behaviour and therefore overall physical activity level. In the UK, e-bikes are legal and considered bicycles in the eyes of the law. E-scooters, unless part of a government pilot scheme, are considered illegal and are classed as motor vehicles. The government are yet to decide on legalising privately owned e-scooters. The government has extended e-scooter hire schemes multiple times, citing the need for more information. During the autumn of 2023, Bristol will be adding e-bikes to their government approved e-scooter hire scheme, and Leeds will be introducing an e-bike only hire scheme. The purpose of this project is to collect BASELINE data to inform a future full evaluation of these e-bike and/or e-scooter hire schemes. We have five research aims: 1. Self-reported baseline and follow-up survey physical activity level of residents in each study area (Bradford, Bristol, Leeds, and Sheffield). Bath and Plymouth data collected at follow-up survey only. 2. Self-reported baseline and follow-up survey modes of travel used by residents in each area (Bradford, Bristol, Leeds, and Sheffield). Bath and Plymouth data collected at follow-up survey only. 3. Determine what should be included in a qualitative interview for a full evaluation. 4. Determine what adjustments, if any, should be made to the survey questionnaire prior to follow-up survey. 5. Determine which methods are the most cost-effective, and most effective overall, for boosting the sample from seldom heard groups. We will apply for funding for a full evaluation to analyse this data in full. The overall goal of which would be to understand the impact of e-bike and/or e-scooter hire schemes on public health, social, economic, and environmental factors. During the baseline phase we will conduct surveys in four UK cities during the summer and early autumn of 2023; Bristol and Leeds (intervention sites) and Sheffield and Bradford (control sites). Our primary distribution method will be to work with our local authority collaborators to distribute advertising materials and a link to our survey through local authority owned newsletters and mailing lists. This should include a reach of at least 40,000. We will also use secondary routes and incentives to boost participation and response rate. Our primary outcome will be overall physical activity. We are also interested in understanding the frequency of use of different travel modes. We plan to re-run the survey a year after the implementation of the hire schemes in the summer and early autumn 2024 to assess changes in overall physical activity and other factors. This will be done at the same sites, but also two new sites, Bath and Plymouth, to allow for triangulation. We will also conduct interviews to understand attitudes towards e-bike and e-scooter hire schemes and if they have changed how people travel. These interviews will also probe for any necessary improvements to the survey and will inform the interview schedule for a full evaluation. Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) has been considered throughout the design of this study. We have also planned for PPI input and representation throughout this project. By the end of this grant, we will produce a cleaned baseline and resurvey dataset for use in a future full evaluation. We will provide an NIHR Open Research article for the research funder. We also will produce a draft mixed methods manuscript.