Almost 2.5 million e-scooter rides have been taken across the West of England – making the service one of the most well-used in Europe. E-scooters were introduced in the region in October 2020, at the height of the pandemic.
The trial, led by the West of England Combined Authority, has now been extended until March 2022. The service, operated by Voi, has helped replace 900,000 short car journeys and improved air quality by saving an estimated 480 tonnes of CO2.
Around 75% of riders in the region use e-scooters regularly to commute, shop or visit friends and family with more than 1 in 8 riders using them to connect with public transport to help get them around the region.
The trial, part of a national programme is expected to inform government on how e-scooters could be legalised and regulated and how they could work with the existing transport system.
Voi has worked closely with the Combined Authority, the local police and councils throughout the trial to innovate and improve safety for riders, pedestrians and vulnerable road users. This has included the introduction of the ‘End Ride Photo’ feature to incentivise good parking, as well as a ‘Report a Voi’ webpage.
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