News / Transport
Bristol’s e-scooter trial area expands
E-scooters will now become familiar sights in more areas of Bristol as the operating area of the trial scheme is expanded.
On Wednesday morning, Bristol24/7 counted 238 scooters available to hire on the Voi app, including in Ashley Down, Easton and Henleaze for the first time.
It comes as a scheme giving free rides to NHS workers and other keyworkers has been reintroduced for the third national lockdown.
is needed now More than ever
In Bristol since the beginning of the 12-month trial in October 2020, there have been more than 50,000 rides taken by more than 14,000 unique riders with more than 127,000km travelled.
To service the new expanded areas, the numbers of scooters will gradually increase to 450 in Bristol and 100 in Bath.
The trial scheme area now extends to Tesco in Eastville, the Memorial Stadium, the white tree roundabout in Westbury Park, Sainsbury’s on Winterstoke Road and St John’s Lane in Totterdown – image: Voi
Mayor of the West of England, Tim Bowles, said: “The West of England has really embraced our e-scooter trial and I’m pleased that so many people have taken the chance to try this new, low carbon form of transport that’s helping to keep our region moving.
“We’ve taken an incremental approach to the launch so that we can all get used to the scooters on our roads, and now following this early success we can expand our operating area so that more residents in Bristol and Bath can benefit from another alternative to the car for short journeys to access essential work and services.
“Alongside metrobus, our transformational MetroWest rail network and plans for a regional mass transit, we’re making it easier to get to the jobs and training opportunities that will secure our recovery.”
Future plans for the scheme include extending the operating area to South Gloucestershire and introducing a personal lease scheme to enable residents to hire a scooter for a longer period of time.
The e-scooters are available to unlock via the Voi app for 99p and cost 14p per minute, with a more cost effective way of riding being a 24-hour pass for £4.99 with discounted passes for students, key workers and those on low-incomes.
Main photo: Voi (this part of the Portway is still outside of the trial area)
Read more: ‘We need all environmentally friendly travel options to flourish in Bristol’
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