E-scooter trials in city move a step closer to reality
A huge trial that will allow people to ride electric scooters on the roads around Bath and Bristol legally has taken another step forward, as the firm that will run the pilot scheme has been announced.
Council chiefs in the West of England have picked Voi Technologies to run the scheme, which will see people able to hire e-scooters for as little as five minutes to a whole year.
The West of England’s trial has been delayed – it was supposed to be up and running already – but the scheme is already under way in large parts of the country, especially in urban areas.
Thousands of people have bought e-scooters privately – they cost from around £500 to £1,500. But riding them on roads or on pavements is illegal because they are propelled vehicles and need insurance, but cannot be insured.
The official trial, due to start this month, involves two different types of rented e-scooters that are owned and maintained by Voi.
The first is a hop-on-hop-off scheme similar to the way
Yobikes work in Bristol, where people hire the nearest one by unlocking them in the street using the app.
This is being geographically restricted to around Bath city centre, Bristol city centre and the area around the UWE campus in north Bristol.
People riding them will pay an initial unlock fee, through the app, and then pay by the minute.
A second, wider scheme is also running which allows people to rent them for the long-term – up to a year – and take them home. This is being targeted more at regular commuters, and anyone living in the West of England area, which covers, Bath and North
East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bristol.
Despite the trial, the use of privately owned e-scooters will remain illegal, so the Voi scooters are being made to look distinctive to help the police work out who is riding an e-scooter legally or illegally.
West of England Metro Mayor Time Bowles said: “I’m really pleased to announce Voi Technology Ltd will be getting our region moving as the operator for our e-scooter trials.
He added: “It was great to see that the West of England is viewed as a place to invest. Now we can get the trials on the road within the next few weeks.”