E-scooter firm Voi’s operating area in Bristol has been expanded to the entire city.
Introduced over two phases, the scheme will now cover Avonmouth, Henbury and Southmead in the north west, and from July southern areas including Bishopsworth, Knowle and Brislington will be added.
The move, which was approved by Bristol City Council’s Cabinet in May, means the Swedish technology firm’s scooters now cover a total area in the city of nearly 60 square miles.
The trial, which was recently extended to November 2022, has now facilitated more than four million journeys, according to Voi. Since the scooters were introduced in October 2020, the company said riders had travelled nearly seven million miles across Bristol and South Gloucestershire - more than any other European city Voi operates in.
BusinessLive’s sister website BristolLive previously reported councillors had been told between 500 and 900 more e-scooters would be made available to cope with demand from the extra areas, as well as 600 extra designated parking hubs. The council will allocate an extra £15,000 to assist the running of the scheme.
Sam Pooke, Voi’s senior public policy manager for the UK and Ireland, described the council’s decision to expand the operating area as a “vote of confidence in the service”, following concerns over the way the scooters are ridden and parked on public roads and pavements.
Avon and Somerset Police had logged 237 e-scooter crimes and collisions from the scheme's launch to March 2021, with Voi launching marketing campaigns to encourage safer riding and parking.
Mr Pooke said: “With more e-scooters on the ground and more opportunities to take advantage of Voi as a sustainable alternative service for getting across the city, Bristol is always one ride closer to improving air quality, tackling congestion and most importantly, creating a better city for living.”
Bristol City Council's cabinet member for transport Cllr Don Alexander, said there were some elements of the trial that could be "improved".
"The recent extension of the trial to November and this geographical expansion to the entire city will give the opportunity to get more data and test possible solutions," he said.
“Opening up e-scooters to the whole of Bristol will increase the range of transport options to all of our residents."
The results of the trial, along with other taking place across the country, will be sent to the Department for Transport, to help inform future national policy around e-scooters.
Voi said the scooters had so far replaced nearly 1.6 million short car journeys in Bristol, and saved almost 900 tonnes of CO2.
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