Voi announces plans to launch e-scooters in Oxford

Voi will soon be scooting into Oxford!

The launch is part of a 12-month trial led by Oxfordshire County Council and Voi, following the U.K. government decision to legalise rental e-scooters to support a green restart of local travel.

Due to launch this February, the pilot operational zone will cover the eastern suburb of Headington for now, but the trial area will gradually expand to include wider parts of the city as demand increases. Voi e-scooters can be ridden on roads and cycle lanes, but pavement riding is strictly prohibited.

Voi e-scooters offer a clean, socially distanced mode of transport, particularly important while the COVID-19 lockdown measures remain in place. They are an efficient urban mobility solution, providing a convenient, accessible way to travel for point-to-point- journeys or the first- and last-mile of public transport, reducing the need for short car journeys, and contributing towards the reduction of traffic congestion and carbon emissions.

Oxfordshire County Council is working with Voi to look at how e-scooters can form part of the evolving mobility ecosystem for Oxfordshire. There is also scope to expand the trial to other towns across the county if there is demand.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, cabinet member for environment, Oxfordshire County Council, said, “Our electric scooter trials in Oxford with Voi have brought us an exciting opportunity to explore alternative and green transport options for our communities. As a county council, we have set out our continued commitment to addressing climate change and transport innovation is a key part of that.”

Richard Corbett, Voi’s regional GM, U.K., Ireland, and Benelux, said, “We are delighted to be working with Oxfordshire County Council to bring our shared e-scooter scheme to the region. Voi e-scooters play an essential role in getting people, particularly key workers, to move around safely during the pandemic. As we move on, micro-mobility will continue to play a strategic part in the green recovery of our cities and towns, offering a flexible and low carbon way to travel. E-scooters can easily be integrated with public transport, replacing short car trips, ultimately creating better cities for living, free of pollution and congestion.”