One of the companies running an e-scooter trial across Richmond borough is working with academics to create an artificial motor sound that will alert others.

Dott and the Royal National Institute for Blind People (RNIB) are supporting the project being run by acoustic experts at the University of Salford.

The 'Safe and Sound' project aims to understand whether using an artificial motor sounds on electric scooters can help those with visual impairments while avoiding additional noise pollution.

The university has created a series of sounds that have undergone extensive testing and there are now hopes to run a series of street trials.

Dr Antonio J Torija Martinez, Principal Investigator of the Project, said: "Based on initial research, we found that the addition of a well-designed acoustic signal can significantly increase vehicle awareness and ultimately safety.

"The additional funding secured from the Innovation Strategy Fund allows us to carry out further research into the optimisation of acoustic awareness of light electrical vehicles that will be effective for those with visual impairment in complex urban environments.

"Our research will also be exploring how we integrate human responses to the design of acoustic solutions for e-mobility."

The 'Safe and Sound' project has now kicked off in consultation with several National Blind Associations across Europe with a view to running trials.

Dott co-founer, Maxim Romain, said: "As we work to provide safe, reliable and sustainable travel across our cities, the progress with Salford Acoustics offers encouraging steps towards a sound which could help identify vehicles, in a way that respects the environment of our streets.

"We are committed to supporting further research and collaborating with the wider industry and the partners in this project to find a global standard which can make shared e-scooters safer for both riders and pedestrians."

Robin Spinks, Strategic Lead Innovation Projects at RNIB, said: "Light electric vehicles pose a significant safety hazard to many people with sight loss. We're delighted to be collaborating with the Safe and Sound project at Salford as we continue to pioneer solutions to the detectability of quiet vehicles."