Total Voi scooter rides in the Solent region equivalent of five return journeys to the moon

A Voi e-scooter in Southampton

Southampton and Portsmouth 17 March 2023: Rental e-scooter riders in Southampton and Portsmouth have ridden the equivalent of just over five return journeys to the moon since the regional e-scooter trial was launched two years ago.

E-scooter trials started in March 2021 as part of the Solent Future Transport Zone, and riders across the scheme have now clocked up over 1.7 million Voi e-scooter journeys, covering a distance of 2.6 million miles in total.

In the last two years, the popularity of Voi rental e-scooters in both Southampton and Portsmouth has grown immensely, with the number of rides up by 61% in Southampton and 41% in Portsmouth year on year.

Voi has a combined fleet of more than 1,400 e-scooters in the cities, which riders have used to travel 1.6 million miles in Southampton and 1 million miles in Portsmouth.

The e-scooter company works closely with Solent Transport and its local authority partners to provide users with more options to find and hire Voi e-scooters through the local Breeze journey planner app, making it even easier to combine their journeys with transport such as buses or trains.

A recent survey among Voi e-scooter riders in the Solent region found that among the most common reasons for e-scooter journeys were getting to and from work, followed closely by social engagements, errands and shopping.

The survey also found that riders in the Solent region like rental e-scooters because they’re an enjoyable mode of transport, they’re easy to use to get around town, and they’re sustainable, affordable and reliable.

In Portsmouth, 47% of Voi riders used e-scooters instead of travelling by car, taxi or motorbike, while in Southampton the figure was 37%.

Jack Samler, general manager for Voi UK, Ireland and France, said: “We work hard with Solent Transport, Southampton and Portsmouth City Councils to make sure we operate a service which works for the communities it serves.

“It’s great to see that people in Southampton and Portsmouth are embracing e-scooter travel in growing numbers.

“Travelling by e-scooter is easy, safe and affordable. Riders can beat traffic jams and get to work, the shops or to meet friends without causing congestion or pollution.

“We encourage our riders to ride safely and considerately, to wear a helmet and take part in our online safety training which is on our app or website.”

Councillor Lynne Stagg, Portsmouth City Council Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation and Chair of Solent Transport’s Joint Committee, said:

“The council’s own surveys of residents and rental e-scooter riders highlight that commuting for work and education has become the most important purpose for use in Portsmouth. I'm pleased to see that rental e-scooters are becoming a key way to get around easily and sustainably for people living in or visiting the city.  

"The Solent Future Transport Zone continues to provide the Solent region with opportunities to trial new and innovative transport services.

"We’re particularly pleased with Voi’s collaborative approach in integrating with our Breeze app, the UK’s first multi-city transport super-app.” 

Councillor Eamonn Keogh, Cabinet Member for Transport and District Regeneration at Southampton City Council said: "Getting around the city has never been so easy. Our Voi e-scooters are regulated with safety features and licence requirements, easy to locate and use and are affordable too.

"The scheme goes from strength to strength, and I am so pleased with how Southampton has embraced this new form of travel. I look forward to our next million miles."

Ends

Notes to editors

The table below shows Voi statistics broken down by each city.

About Solent Transport

Solent Transport is changing the way the public travels in the Solent area; making it greener, healthier and economically stronger than it’s ever been before. Through the delivery of transport solutions, Solent Transport provides leadership, strategy and direction to support sustainable economic growth in the Solent area. Originally established in 2007, Solent Transport is an apolitical partnership between the councils of the Isle of Wight, Hampshire County, Portsmouth and Southampton. In collaboration with the local community, business, government and transport operators, Solent Transport undertakes research; develops transport policy and strategy; submits and supports funding bids; and lobbies for transport improvements that will benefit everyone.

About the Solent Future Transport Zone

Solent Transport won £29m from the Department for Transport (DfT) to implement innovative future transport solutions around personal mobility and freight movements. The funding means the Solent area will benefit from several innovative transport solutions including: smartphone apps for planning and paying for sustainable journeys demand, e-bike share scheme, and new approaches to freight distribution, including drone freight trials for NHS deliveries across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. Funding will be allocated to different projects across the region. The Solent Future Transport Zone programme proposes to address local challenges such as high levels of car usage and the environmental impacts of freight movement within Solent’s urban areas. It will do this by delivering a series of complementary projects within two key themes: Personal Mobility and Sustainable Urban Logistics.

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 125+ million rides.