Micromobility operator Voi has today announced the expansion of its operating zone in Bristol, the largest e-scooter scheme in the country.
The zone has expanded to the city’s outskirts in the south including Hartcliffe, Hengrove, Morrisons Stockwood and Whitchurch.
This means almost the entirety of Bristol is now accessible to riders, broadening the covered area from 134 km² to 147 km².
More than 7.5 million rides have now been taken in Bristol since the beginning of the trial in October 2020, which makes it one of the largest schemes for journey counts in Europe.
Voi is looking to assist some of the most deprived neighbourhoods as a recent report from the operator found that its e-scooters play a key role in broadening access to employment.
Refugees, NHS staff, students and those on low incomes can take advantage of Voi’s various ‘Voi 4’ discounts.
Councillor Don Alexander, Bristol City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, told Zag Daily: “I’m thrilled more people in the south of Bristol will benefit from being able to hop on and off a Voi e-scooter. It will help us in our goal to boost transport options across the city. And, with a larger operating area, more people will be able to take advantage of the various discounts available, including those on low incomes, NHS staff and students.”
In total, the e-scooter scheme is estimated to contribute £43m to the local economy between 2020 and 2024 – including over £13 million this year.
Sam Pooke, Voi’s Senior Public Policy Manager for UK and Ireland, added: “We’re delighted our service is expanding to include communities in the south of Bristol.
“We’ve worked closely with Bristol City Council, the West of England Combined Authority and the local community to ensure more people can access the benefits of Voi’s shared e-scooters across the city.”
Across England, riders have now made approximately 30 million journeys since the shared e-scooter trials began in summer 2020.
