Swedish micromobility company Voi has been appointed to operate e-scooters in the West Midlands, it was announced today.
The 12-month trial will launch to the public in Birmingham and Coventry from next Thursday (10 September) and be rolled-out soon after in Sandwell (West Bromwich), Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Warwickshire.
The public will initially be able to access and ride e-scooters within the immediate vicinity of Birmingham and Coventry’s city centre, with an ambition to expand the trial zones as the trial progresses.
Voi has also been selected as the sole operator of year-long e-scooter trials in Northampton and Kettering by Northamptonshire County Council and in Cambridge by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said: “E-scooters unquestionably offer a healthier, more environmentally friendly, alternative to the car for shorter journeys around our towns and cities, which will in turn help to ease traffic congestion and tackle air pollution.
“As well as the improvements to our transport network, e-scooters could also be a much-needed boost for the region’s economy, helping to attract people back into our town and city centres.”
Up to 10,000 e-scooters are due to be deployed across the region over the course of the trial. Birmingham and Coventry will initially start with 200 each, with demand monitored by Voi.
Riders will need a provisional or full driving licence to unlock an e-scooter. They will cost £1 to unlock and 20p per minute to ride, with reduced rates for NHS workers, students and those on low incomes. Unlimited rides for £40 per month will also be available.
To ensure the trial is as safe as possible, Voi will provide in-person and online rider education, rider identity verification and will make its online traffic school available to users in the West Midlands.
Voi is also adding Shieldex Copper-Tape to the handlebars of its e-scooters, which reportedly kills 99.98% of coronavirus on contact. Furthermore, all e-scooters will be disinfected every 24 hours.
The trial will be reviewed by the UK Department for Transport and Transport for West Midlands working with local authorities and stakeholders, with a view to establishing longer-term options for e-scooters in the region.
