News / Transport
Bristol’s new e-scooter provider partners with Big Issue
Bristol’s new e-scooter provider has partnered with the Big Issue’s recruitment service to employ people facing barriers.
TIER‘s partnership with Big Issue Recruit (BIR) will give people the opportunity to work in its new operations division in the West of England, managing the fleet of e-scooters, e-bikes and e-cargo bikes.
Big Issue previously launched its own fleet of e-bikes in Bristol in February 2022, but discontinued the scheme just six months later due to “unprecedented” vandalism.
is needed now More than ever
TIER’s turquoise e-scooters are set to launch in in the city later in October, replacing the coral-coloured Vois.
TIER launched in Bath in September and BIR has already helped recruit ten of the on-street ‘rangers’ who manage battery changes and ensure the fleet is balanced across the city.
BIR is now looking for recruits in Bristol to join TIER and be a part of what will become one of the UK’s biggest shared micro-mobility services.
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Read more: First look at Bristol’s new e-scooters
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Jessica Murphy, head of public policy for the UK at TIER, said: “Big Issue Recruit, and the Big Issue Group, have a long history of making positive change in the West of England and we are extremely pleased to be working with the team as we launch our shared micro-mobility service in Bristol and Bath.
“It is important to us that our service benefits as many people’s lives as possible, and working with BIR means our operations team will have unparalleled local knowledge from the start.”
TIER’s e-scooters and e-bikes have already launched in Bath, ahead of them coming to Bristol – photo: Charlie Watts
Paul Cheal, group CEO of the Big Issue, added: “We are pleased to be working with TIER, the council and many local community groups in Bristol and Bath in order to give people facing barriers to employment in the West of England the opportunity to access job roles.
“After 30 years of supporting vendors, we are extending opportunities to a growing number of marginalised people in different ways and we are proud that Big Issue Recruit has already mobilised an initial team of rangers working hard to change their lives through enterprise.
“We intend to grow this team and look forward to doing so over the next three years.”
BIR supports people facing barriers to find sustainable jobs and thrive. The service is free to use and offers job coaches to help people from a diverse range of backgrounds into work.
TIER, which operates in more than 650 cities and communities in 30 countries, won the competitive tender to operate the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority’s shared micro-mobility service earlier this year.
When fully launched across the West of England, there will be 4,000 e-scooters (WESTscoot) available for hire plus 1,500 pedal-only e-bikes (WESTbike) and 20 e-cargo bikes (WESTcargo).
Main photo: TIER
Read next:
- No more Vois in Bristol as contract ends
- ‘Voi’s empire is no more, and I can’t help but feel nostalgic’
- ‘Unprecedented’ vandalism blamed for stop of Big Issue e-bike hire scheme
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