Metro mayor Dan Norris is threatening to ban the company behind the Bristol region's e-scooter trial from operating in the area unless it severs ties to Russia. The West of England mayor has warned the boss of Sweden-based Voi Technology that its actions will 'strongly affect [his] thinking regarding the future use' of the firm’s electric two-wheelers.
It comes after it emerged that one of the operator’s major shareholders has close links to Russia, which has been widely condemned for invading Ukraine. In response, Voi says it has ceased all business activities in Russia and its ally Belarus and is reevaluating all its partners in light of the war to take 'all actions deemed necessary to comply with sanctions', including removing shareholders who 'no longer align with our core values'.
According to Bristol 24/7, Russian businessman Alexander Eliseev owns about £10.8m worth of shares in Voi. He is a major shareholder and chairman of shipping firm Globaltruck, which is partly owned by the Russian state through the wealth fund RDIF, reports say.
