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Times
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Times
‘We're bringing the e-scooter revolution to Britain. It will hurt'
For some, e-bikes and e-scooters are the transport mode of the future, giving users a cheap, convenient and environmentally friendly way to zip around. For others they are a dangerous menace, cluttering pavements and being an eyesore at tourist hotspots. Regardless of who is right, Britain will need to get used to seeing a lot more of them over the next few years, according to a senior boss at the UK's largest rental company. Christina Moe Gjerde, the vice-president for northern Europe at Voi Technology, has promised a UK 'revolution' in the technology — known as micromobility — and is prepared to take the backlash from any sceptics to make it happen. The company, which already operates in more than 100 towns and cities in Europe, including 17 in the UK, wants a minimum of 50,000 extra e-bikes and e-scooters on UK streets within five years, and cities such as Manchester, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Leeds and Brighton are its next targets. 'You [the UK] are sitting on a gold mine,' she said. 'Get it right and there's so much potential. You have other countries and cities in Europe where you want people to start biking or jump on a scooter but they're not. In the UK you have it.' Private e-scooters are illegal on English roads but a limited number of local authorities have been able to offer micromobility rental schemes from companies such as Voi, Lime or Dott on a rolling trial basis. The government's devolution plans are set to give local authorities the power to offer schemes to their residents, with many expected to take this up. It will also give authorities the power to regulate the service by putting in place parking street restrictions or speed limits. Alternatively they could also allow e-bikes but ban e-scooters, as Paris did in 2023. Moe Gjerde, 34, acknowledges that not everyone has been happy with the results so far. 'I understand they are angry. I understand they are frustrated,' she said. 'Parking clutter is a problem. No one wants that. Accidents are a problem. As long as there are accidents we are not happy. So everyone wants the same thing. 'The revolutionary in me says change is going to hurt no matter what, right? We've said for decades we need more people to bike, we need more people to go on public transport, we need to stop driving cars. The revolution will hurt a little, but it's necessary.' Moe Gjerde said that UK politicians should look at Oslo as a example of how a micromobility scheme could operate. This year, politicians in the city doubled their e-scooter fleet to 16,000 but with restrictions such as a ban on riding between 11pm and 5am, a cap on e-scooter numbers within certain zones and greater use of 'geofencing', which bans the scooters from popular pedestrian streets, parks or near schools. Users are required to take photos of how they have parked and can be fined if their scooter is left in a reckless manner. Licences were also given to three micromobility companies to encourage competition on price and safety standards. 'We haven't reached the point where we've created this sort of perfect balance between the benefits and the negative impacts of this technology,' Marit Kristine Vea, Oslo's vice-mayor for transport, said. 'But at least politically we've decided that Oslo is a good test hub to see if we can create this balance.' She said stricter regulation had 'calmed' things after a volatile few years but that not everyone was completely happy. 'This weekend I got a message from a 79-year-old. He said: 'I like your party but because of the e-scooters you destroyed everything.' 'But my advice mostly goes to politicians: pay attention to the sceptics as well and try to design regulations that protect them.' Moe Gjerde is ready for the backlash from the residents of new areas adopting the technology. 'I don't know how many hate groups I've had on Facebook. I've been in a storm. I got an award from a newspaper in Norway for [being] the most talked-about person. 'So I'm ready, but I'd say to the UK: just don't make the same mistakes that others have.'
The Independent
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
London e-scooter trial extended to cover more of the capital after five million trips
E-scooter rental trials have now been expanded across a third of London boroughs, offering the only legal way to drive electric scooters on roads in the capital. Wandsworth is the latest to join the trial run jointly by Transport for London (TfL) and London councils, with operators Voi and Lime. It is illegal to use private e-scooters on public roads because they have no required minimum safety standards, whereas rentals have a 12.5mph speed limit and lights that always come on. The trial is set to run until 25 September 2025, but it could be extended by a year. Since the trial launched in June 2021 five million trips have been taken, totalling more than 10 million kilometres – which is enough to travel around the world 250 times. According to the figures provided by TfL demand for e-scooters is increasing, with a 27 per cent increase in customers taking more than one ride. Wandsworth Council's inclusion in the trial from this week adds 35 km² and around 170 rental e-scooter parking bays to the borough, a TfL spokesperson said. The total trial area is now approximately 300km² with 1,300 bays. London's trial is one of the largest trials running nationally, with a fleet of more than 4,000 vehicles. TfL said the data revealed 0.0004 per cent of rental e-scooter trips have resulted in serious injury, with the risk rate decreasing year-on-year. There have also been no fatalities. Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, said: 'The data clearly shows that the rental e-scooter trial has helped to boost sustainable and active travel transport in our city, with over five million journeys made since it launched, and it has also laid bare the significant difference in safety between private and rental scooters.' The trial is testing new, innovative technology, such as pavement riding detection and AI, to improve parking compliance and look at how TfL can improve the experience of London's rental e-scooters. However, long-term regulation is needed to provide cities with the power to manage rental e-scooter schemes permanently, and regulate private e-scooters with the minimum hardware standards on par with rental e-scooters. The Independent analysed Department for Transport figures at the end of last year, which found six people were killed and hundreds more were injured in e-scooter crashes in 2023, sparking calls for more regulation of the privately owned vehicles which are not capped for speed. TfL's e-scooter trial lead Helen Sharp said: 'We continue to put safety at the heart of the trial and regularly review trial performance to ensure that the scheme works for both users and non-users of the service. 'Working closely with operators and people across London, we will continue to build on what we've learnt to date, to ensure that everyone benefits from using rental e-scooters across the capital.'
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
London's e-scooter trial expands to a third of boroughs
A third of London's boroughs now host e-scooter trials, Transport for London (TfL) has announced, with Wandsworth being the latest to trial, run by TfL and London Councils with operators Voi and Lime, offers the only legal way to drive electric e-scooters on the capital's e-scooters used on public roads are illegal as they have no required minimum safety standards, whereas the e-scooters used in the trial have to meet strict safety standards exceeding national requirements, including a 12.5mph (20 km/h) speed limit and always-on lights, TfL trial is contracted to run until 25 September 2025, with potential for extensions of up to one year. New data from TfL reveals more than five million trips have been taken on rental e-scooters across the capital, covering over 10 million kilometres, since the trial's launch in June to the figures, demand is increasing, with a 27% rise in customers taking more than one ride and about 7% of journeys now replacing car inclusion brings an additional 35 km² (13.5 miles²) and about 170 parking bays, a TfL spokesperson total trial area is now approximately 300 km² (116 miles²) with 1,300 bays. London's trial is one of the largest running nationally, with a fleet of over 4,000 vehicles. According to TfL's data, 0.0004% of rental e-scooter trips resulted in serious injury and injury risk rate had decreased year on year. There have been no fatalities during the Sharp, TfL's e-scooter trial lead, said: "We are delighted to celebrate the latest results of the London rental trial as it expands to cover new areas in Wandsworth."Ms Sharp added TfL had "put safety at the heart of the trial and regularly review trial performance".Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, said: "The data clearly shows that the rental e-scooter trial has helped to boost sustainable and active travel transport in our city, with over five million journeys made since it launched, and it has also laid bare the significant difference in safety between private and rental scooters."
BBC News
23-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Why e-scooters divide Liverpool people after five years
They've been a part of Liverpool life for five years, but as the city council prepares to extend an e-scooter hire scheme, how do people in the city feel about the coral pink vehicles?E-scooters were introduced for people in Liverpool to hire in 2020, as part of a Department for Transport pilot to provide alternatives to public transport during the pandemic as well as trialling low-carbon ways to pilot scheme in Liverpool has been extended to 2026, and is currently operated by a company called Voi. The city council is looking to extend the scheme across the whole city, and possibly allow people to hire scooters around the clock. At the moment they can be rented between the hours of 06:00 GMT and 00:00. Plans are expected to be approved this week. Scooters divide opinion in the guide Richard MacDonald told BBC Politics North West scooters were a great way to travel to work, and to see the city in a different way. He said: "I tend to use them when I need to get somewhere quickly and other forms of transport have let me down." He added that he welcomed any extension to the scheme's operating hours. "On a Sunday morning, if there's a cruise ship in and I have to get there nice and early to give those tourists a fabulous day out in Liverpool, I'd use an e-scooter for that journey." 'Misuse' He said there was always a danger that the public could misuse e-scooters but added that they were proven to be safe if ridden correctly."They are geo-fenced so there are places where you can't ride them," he added, and said the scooters automatically slowed down in certain not just the Voi scooters which are a regular feature on Liverpool's roads though. Other types of e-scooters are becoming increasingly popular, but there's a hitch: It's illegal to ride a privately owned scooter on public land, a fact that many people don't realise."I think the illegal ones are giving the legal ones a bad press" Mr MacDonald said."They aren't regulated, the batteries can cause fires, you're not ensured on them. The legal ones you have to sign up with your driving licence."It's an issue Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell is aware of."What we are seeing is people buying scooters which are not part of the pilot scheme in Liverpool, and thinking they can use them the same way, but that's not what the legislation says."Any other type of scooter which is not owned by Voi cannot be ridden on public land."She added: "I think there is some education to be done - private scooters can only be used on private land." Voi and the police were working closely on the issues around the misuse of hiring scooters Ms Spurrell said, adding the police would continue to advise people using illegal e-scooters not to use them in public the e-scooter pilot has not been welcomed by everyone in Ditchfield, from Anfield, is visually impaired and said she and her guide dog Dottie loathe e-scooters."You can't hear them coming, to me they seem very fast and even when they are behind you, the drivers don't ring a bell or make a noise." She added the inconsiderate way some users left them once they'd finished riding was frustrating."I think people need to be made more aware of how to use them and park them properly."Sometimes people leave them parked across the tactile paving that me and other visually impaired people with a cane or guide dog is meant to cross."She said Dottie, her black Labrador, had often had to navigate scooters parked inconsiderately on the the extra traffic on the streets and pavements has put the pair off visiting the city centre. "I used to be in town all the time, but it's got too stressful," Ms Ditchfield more on this watch BBC Politics North West on iPlayer. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
05-02-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
E-scooters to be available round-the-clock in North Northants
E-scooters are to be available day and night throughout the week as part of a pilot project, a council has extended operating hours will be trialled for six months in North council and police officers will meet regularly during the trial to assess its police have urged people to report any incidents of irresponsible riding. The electric scooters were launched in North Northamptonshire in March 2021.A similar scheme had been in place in Northampton since September operating company, Voi, said three million journeys had been registered across the county by March machines have been available from 04:00 to 23:00 every day, but, from 10 February, people will be able to hire them throughout the day and Northamptonshire Council said extra reflective strips will be fitted to the front of the e-scooters and riders will be encouraged to wear reflective clothing and helmets. Macauley Nichol, the Conservative-controlled council's executive member for highways and travel, said: "This trial gives us the chance to better understand whether extended hours will benefit more residents."The data and feedback we gather from local communities will play a crucial role in determining if a 24/7 operation is the right fit moving forward, and what additional measures might be needed to ensure the scheme is both safe and successful." Matt O'Connell, from the Northamptonshire Police Safer Roads Team, said: "An e-scooter is not a toy. "It is a vehicle designed to be ridden on the roads and therefore must be treated with care and responsibility."We hope this trial goes well as it will be good for our local communities, but we would also encourage anyone who spots irresponsible riding to report it via Voi's reporting methods."James Bolton, from the operating company Voi, said: "We're excited to expand to 24/7 service, giving night-time workers, from hospitality staff to nurses, more mobility options."Voi e-scooters currently operate in Corby, Burton Latimer, Kettering, Wellingborough, Rushden and Higham Ferrers. Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
