Free e-scooter rides to vaccine
Up to £8 credit to reach a hub
CITY residents will be able to travel to their Covid vaccinations for free, using new rental electric scooters.
Following the launch of the Voi e-scooter rental scheme in Portsmouth last week, the company is now offering up to £8 credit to those using the vehicles to get to various vaccine hubs.
These include Southsea Medical Centre and other approved vaccination sites, as well as pharmacies and GP surgeries, as long as they have a scooter docking station nearby.
Richard Corbett, general manager, UK, Ireland, and Benelux at Voi, said: ‘As the vaccination programme is extended to other age groups, we want to make sure that people can make it to these really important appointments quickly and conveniently.
‘Since we launched our e-scooter services in the UK, our focus has been on helping local communities adopt this carbon-neutral mode of travel, reducing traffic and pollution in the areas where we live and work.’
Portsmouth council’s transport boss, Councillor Lynne Stagg, welcomed the free travel for vaccinations.
‘It’s a really good idea,’ she said.
In the first six days of the six-month rental trial that began on March 16, 3,700 e-scooter rides were taken, totalling 21,000 kilometres.
Cllr Stagg added: ‘The uptake has been even more than we had expected.
‘It is planned docking stations will soon open at QA Hospital, St Mary’s Community Health Centre and St James’ Hospital.
‘And it is hoped seven more docking stations will open in April depending on what public feedback is in those areas.’
As reported, NHS workers will have free use of the scooters during lockdown and will receive a discount after then.
To claim one of the £8 discounts, users need to have or download the Voi app then select ‘free rides’ and click ‘redeem a voucher’ where they can enter the promo code relevant to their area.
Riders will find the promo codes at voiscooters.com/ helping-to-vaccinate-the-uk.
To be eligible, e-scooter trips must start or end at one of the vaccination sites.
At full price the scooters cost £1 to unlock and 14 pence a minute to ride.
It’s a really good idea. The uptake has been even more than we had expected. Councillor Lynne Stagg