Voi to roll out first UK e-scooter trial in Cambridge
Swedish firm Voi has been selected to run one of the first e-scooter trials in the UK in Cambridge as part of the government’s consultation on the new form of urban mobility.
Working in partnership with local authorities, Voi will install its first fleet of coral-coloured scooters in the city by September, and create 50 jobs in doing so.
The trial will last for 12 months, and will see the firm work closely with local transport providers, including train and bus operators.
Voi was the only company selected to deploy its e-scooters in Cambridge, meaning it now provides its services in 45 cities across 11 countries.
During the trial, it will cost £1 to unlock the vehicles and an additional 20p per minute while they are being used.
The company will also offer subscriptions for £10 a day or £40 a month alongside subsidised Voi-4-All Passes for low income groups at £10 per month.
Key workers will be offered free rides and local businesses the chance to use the e-scooters for delivery services.
Fredrik Hjelm, co-founder and chief executive of Voi, said: “We are delighted to announce that Cambridge, the world’s most renowned city for innovation and technology, will be the first place in the UK where people can use a Voi e-scooter and enjoy the benefits of this liberating new form of transport.
“We can’t wait to get started in Cambridgeshire which has some of the best cycling infrastructure in the UK making it an ideal location to launch this revolutionary transport”.
The e-scooter consultation is part of the government’s ambition to encourage people to use forms of so-called “active travel” instead of commuting by car or by public transport due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Cambridge mayor James Palmer said the city had seen a 27 per cent drop in carbon emissions and a 200 per cent increase in cycling this year alone.
“Electric bikes and scooters have the potential to revolutionise travel and I am delighted that Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will be the first region in the country to make both available to the public so they can enjoy quicker, healthier journeys”, he added.
Voi’s UK general manager Richard Corbett said the scooters could be “a compelling alternative that will outrun the car”.
Across the country, more than 50 councils and regional authorities are putting in place e-scooter pilots, which can run for 12 months.
Cities including Liverpool, Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Southampton were amongst those to express interest in running a pilot.