Most successful e-scooter scheme in UK reaches 10 million journeys milestone
West of England 21 April: The total number of journeys on Voi e-scooters in the West of England region has reached 10 million, becoming the first trial in the UK to reach the milestone.
Since Voi started operating in Bristol and Bath in October 2020 as part of the government’s e-scooter trials, the service has expanded to cover almost the whole of the West of England region, including South Gloucestershire - about 60 square miles in total.
Voi has worked closely with the West of England Combined Authority and the other unitary authorities in the region to evolve the e-scooter service so that it provides a vital addition to the region’s transport network.
Nearly 350,000 people have signed up to use Voi scooters in the West of England.
Popular with a range of groups, including commuters, nearly a third of users say they use Voi scooters to get to and from work, according to a recent Voi survey.
Students use them to zip around between the university, their accommodation and part-time jobs, while visitors to Bristol and Bath who want an affordable way of seeing the cities’ sights also hop on Voi scooters.
The survey found that the top five things that riders like best about using Voi e-scooters are that they make it easier to get around, they’re an enjoyable mode of transport, and they’re sustainable, affordable and reliable.
Video vox pop of riders in Bristol
There are over 4,000 Voi e-scooters in the region, with some available for long term hire - riders have exclusive use of a scooter for a month at a time with customers provided with their own charging kits.
It’s a complex operation making sure that scooters are in the right place at the right time.
Voi uses data gathered from each ride to work out how many scooters are needed at which location, sending electric vans around the city to pick up and drop off e-scooters when necessary.
The company liaises closely with the local council and partners on transport plans for special events such as Tokyo World and Love Saves the Day, making sure that riders are able to arrive safely.
Voi manages parking through a mixture of fixed parking zones, demarcated by line markings, racks or by “geo fencing” - GPS technology which shows a rider where to park and prevents them from ending their journey in a no parking zone.
Communications direct to riders encourage people to ride and park safely and considerately, making sure scooters are not obstructing the way for pedestrians and cyclists.
Any reports of badly parked e-scooters are swiftly dealt with by Voi’s experienced teams in Bristol and Bath.
Data from e-scooters is used by Voi’s local teams to set schedules for battery replacement, maintenance and regular servicing of e-scooters, some of which is done on location around the city and some at the company’s warehouse in Bristol.
The company has provided work for ex-offenders, working with Key4Life, providing them with valuable skills to help them to transform their lives.
Over the last three years, Voi has forged partnerships with many organisations in Bristol, from universities to local businesses, making a huge impact on encouraging people out of their cars and into a much more sustainable mode of transport. The company is also a member of Visit West, working jointly to promote the region.
Independent economic research commissioned by Voi found that the West of England e-scooter trial is likely to provide a boost of just under £20 million to the local economy over the course of the trial.
In addition to being the most popular scheme in the UK, the West of England service is unique across Europe as the only exclusive e-scooter service to use a “mandatory parking model” where users can only start and end their rides in designated areas at the scale that it is.
Jack Samler, general manager for Voi UK, Ireland and France, said: “We’re tremendously proud of how our close partnership with the West of England Combined Authority and the unitary authorities in the region has resulted in such a successful and popular e-scooter scheme.
“Our shared e-cooters are having such a positive impact In Bristol - over 33% of riders said they were using scooters instead of cars, taxis and motorbikes which is great for reducing congestion and pollution in the city - and they’re also boosting the region’s economy.
“We will continue to look at how we can constantly improve our service, whether it be by encouraging users to ride safely and considerately or looking to accommodate requests for more parking or scooters at key locations.”
Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, said: “Being the first e-scooter trial to reach the significant milestone of 10 million rides shows just how popular and important e-scooters are as a sustainable form of transport for residents and visitors in Bristol. E-scooters will soon have given our local economy a welcome £20 million boost, with a third of riders using them to commute to work.”
Kathryn Davis managing director, Visit West, said: “As well as being a very practical way of getting from A to B, the voi scooters have become a tourism experience in their own right. The scooters have definitely opened up more areas in the region for visitors as well as locals to explore and discover new places to enjoy. This helps disperse visitors across a wider area, and spreads the economic benefit of the visitor economy.”
Ends
For further information, please contact:
Juliette Maxam, Senior PR manager, Voi UK, Ireland and France
juliette.maxam@voiapp.io
About Voi
Founded in 2018, Voi is a Swedish micromobility company offering e-scooter and e-bike sharing in partnership with towns, cities and local communities. We believe e-scooters can play a central role in changing how people move in our towns and cities in the future. We want to ensure that the micromobility transformation happens the right way - through real innovative technology, open and transparent dialogue with towns, cities and governments and by adapting our products to local needs. Voi’s holistic Environmental Action Plan tackles emissions and promotes renewable energy use and circularity along its supply chain.
Voi operates in over 100 towns and cities across 11 countries. It is headquartered in Stockholm and employs 1,000 people. To date, Voi boasts more than seven million riders and has served more than 150+ million rides.
