The long and winding road just got a little shorter: Voi e-scooters are now available to rent in Liverpool.
(Yes, let it be known that are going to seize this opportunity to riff on Beatles song titles, here, there and everywhere. Points if you spot them all.)
At launch, 50 of the salmon-coloured electric machines will be available, with a wide operating window from 6am to 8pm, eight days a week, so there’s no stress if you need to scoot across town and get back.
Good job too, as reports suggest that the scooters will be limited to just 10mph top speed, well below the 15.5mph that the DfT permits and that e-bikes can travel at. That much lower speed limit will make it a hard day’s night scooting anywhere.
Hire fees are £1 to unlock and 20p/min to use (ticket to ride not required).
For the day tripper who wants more than a short commute, there are also unlimited-ride options (£10 for 24 hours; £40 for 30 days) and concessionary rates, so that everyone (including paperback writers) can have an e-scooter in their life.
Voi says it will create 50 jobs in the area as part of the 12-month trial.
Many operators are choosing to launch with smaller fleet sizes to help educate riders, road users and pedestrians about the new form of transport more gradually. This should make the introduction of e-scooters to British streets more seamless and safer for everyone.
