Bristol is brimming with Voi joy

Voi has made a dramatic impression on the West of England since the scheme launched in October 2020. As you can see from the videos below, the people of Bristol, Bath and South Gloucestershire have welcomed this transition to a new, convenient and low-carbon way to travel with open arms. As one of the UK’s cultural hubs, it is not surprising to us that Bristol’s e-scooter riders certainly know how to make a statement.

Going from strength to strength, the Bristol trial has become one of the most popular rental e-scooter services in Europe with over three million rides taken in Bristol alone. Welcoming Voi as part of everyday life has helped the city reduce pollution and tackle the scourge of congestion in a place that has one of the highest levels of car ownership in the UK.

This busy Bristolian sums up the city’s modal shift perfectly: “Vois help me from going from properties to properties rather than me trying to find parking. it’s definitely helped me for sure. I would say that it does help with pollution, you know, an efficient way of not polluting the earth anymore.”

Bristolians are embracing the change of mobility that is happening in the city and are proving to be super responsible in the process. We may be the ones to provide the city-wide service, but it’s our riders who are really leading this modal shift from cars to low-carbon transport. Such as 43 year old Jim, a Bristolian builder and Voi newbie who says: “I was a little bit nervous about how easy it would be. But I kind of got the hang of it within about 20 seconds. It’s a brilliant system and a great way to get around. Once you’ve given it a go, I don’t think you’d be looking back.”

As we enter a new year with optimism and determination to make this a healthier and happier year for all, we also want to join Bristol’s Voiagers in tackling the climate crisis head on. Indeed, Bristolians should be proud of the fact that they have replaced over a million short car journeys in the city and saved around 700 tonnes of C02 since we launched. With our own personal pledge to be climate positive by 2030, we are overwhelmed that, when it comes to Voi in Bristol, people are positive, period.

Another important positive VOIce, and one who is leading this transport transition, is the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees. As you can see from the video at the top of this blog, he talks about how micromobility is changing the city and encouraging people to make more sustainable choices.

“It’s exciting, it’s dynamic, it’s open – it’s incredibly convenient. It’s had a massive impact on the city which has translated into the replacing of thousands of short car journeys. It’s a sign that people in the west of England are really picking up this as a mode of transport. Now it’s become a habit. This is now a norm.” – Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol

Our Bristol riders also like to spread their wings, with an average ride of 15 mins, which is one of the highest in the country. This is thanks also to the forward-thinking Bristol Council, which has made provision for both riding and parking access. From Southmead to St. Pauls, Whiteladies to Whitehall, Bristol has embraced accessibility and micromobility with ease and enthusiasm.

“They’re really fun and they’re also eco-friendly…they are really easy to use and cheap. It feels safe… I think it’s a really cool idea and I think a lot more people are latching onto and warming to it as well.” – Amelia, a student at Bristol University.

With our e-scooter trial extended until March 2022, Amelia, Jim and others who contributed to these Voi videos, as well as many other Voiagers, will welcome a continued transition to low carbon travel in Bristol. They join the likes of Chris Francombe, a security manager from Bristol who, in this blog, already shared his modal transformation with us, is just one of 75% of people in the area who have told us that they are now using e-scooters to commute, shop or visit friends and family.

The Voiage into the West is epic and is definitely set to continue.