Swedish e-scooter operator Voi has revealed that 40 per cent of its UK rides have been taken by women.
The micromobility provider has seen a 10 per cent increase in female riders since 2019 and aims to see 50 per cent of journeys taken by women by 2025.
The industry average is around 25 per cent of e-scooter journeys taken by women.
Voi began operating in the UK at the start of the e-scooter trials in July 2020 and has fleets posted in 16 towns and cities across the country.
In a bid to achieve its goals, Voi has partnered with an independent consultancy 6t on a year-long project which will research how to make shared e-scooter schemes a more inclusive transport service.
A recent report in Zurich also found e-scooters to be an increasingly popular mode of transport among women, with the survey finding that e-scooters had the highest share of women riders at 32 per cent, compared to 29 per cent for docked bikes and 18 per cent for dockless e-bikes.
Voi user Rebecca Lane uses an e-scooter once or twice a week and believes that the mode of transport can help “reduce pollution and congestion”.
“The first time I used a Voi scooter was to collect an order,” she said.
“What would have been a 40-minute walk round trip, ended up only taking 20 minutes and it was really fun. I enjoy getting around with Voi, seeing new parts of the city and without having to worry about whether my bike will be stolen.
“The scooters are very useful. They can reduce pollution and congestion and also give people other options beyond bikes. The more responsible road users are, the safer the roads will be.”
Voi UK and Ireland General Manager Jack Samler told Zag that the operator wanted to empower “everyone in the shift to micromobility”.
“E-scooters are still a nascent transport method and we’re learning all the time about how they can fit into people’s daily lives,” he said.
“We know women are more likely to walk or use public transport, so it’s important for us to understand the ways that we can ensure women across England can travel to work or run errands in a safe and sustainable way.
“We’re committed to empowering everyone in the shift to micro-mobility and our partnership with 6t and our membership to Women in Transport, which aims to make the transport sector a better industry through diversity, gender parity and inclusion, are all part of that commitment.”
