Voi e-scooter trial in Bristol and Bath extended until next year

Voi e-scooter trials in Bath and Bristol have been extended until March 2022.

The trial schemes have been running for a year, led by the West of England Combined Authority (WECA).

The scheme was launched in a bid to help reduce the number of cars on the roads and ease pressure on public transport.

Around 2.5 million trips have been taken on Voi scooters in Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire since the trial started - but they replaced more walking and cycling trips than car journeys.

However the Swedish firm says its scooters have still replaced 900,000 short car journeys - saving an estimated 480 tonnes of CO2. 

Councillor Matt McCabe, a cabinet assistant for transport, said the extension until March 2022 will give Bath and North East Somerset Council robust evidence to show if the trips are replacing car journeys and not just those made on foot or by bike. 

Cllr McCabe said: “So far the focus [in Bath] has been on the city centre. That’s concentrated a lot of the problems in the central area.

“For long-term hirers, the evidence is they are replacing car journeys. For the hop on, hop off users, there’s a question over whether they are replacing car journeys.

“The request is for a city-wide trial. It may take some time to set that up.

“The other question is whether government is going to legalise e-scooters. It looks like they probably are.” 

Until new legislation comes in, hiring an e-scooter from Voi is the only way to ride one legally in the West of England region. Private e-scooters are illegal to use on public roads without insurance - which is impossible to buy for e-scooters.

While some have called the trial an "overwhelming success", the scooters have sparked concern among some councillors and disability campaigners, particularly over how they are parked.

Speaking in August, Clive Wood from the charity Guide Dogs said e-scooters left on pavements create an unnecessary trip hazard, particularly for those with visual impairments. He welcomed calls in Bristol to create designated parking bays. 

Cllr McCabe said: “They are being left over pavements, ridden on pavements, there’s dual riding. 

“The message to people is to keep reporting incidents so we have robust evidence. These things can be a nuisance. We need to make sure the Department for Transport take that seriously and mitigate for that."

The Voi app tells users they should never ride on the pavements, roads where the speed limit is more than 30mph, or while under the influence of drink or drugs.

It also says e-scooters should never be parked blocking cars, access ramps or public footpaths. 

Voi responds to trial extension

Voi UK general manager Jack Samler said: “The West of England has shown incredible demand for sustainable transport options. As we announce the extension today, ridership has reached 2.5 million and is one of Europe’s largest and most successful areas of e-scooter operations.

“We are delighted to have been given more time to build on our success so far. We will continue to listen to users, the local community, and key stakeholders – such as disability and visually-impaired groups – to ensure micromobility can work for everyone. 

“This trial extension will be invaluable, and can only help to strengthen an already truly collaborative partnership. 

“We look forward to continuing our mission in Bath, Bristol, and South Gloucestershire to transform our cities for the better.”

Credit: Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporting Service