New safety measures for Voi e-scooters trial in Liverpool

A set of new measures have been introduced to help improve the safety of the e-scooter trial underway in Liverpool.

Launched in October 2020, the scheme has been both successful and highly popular – with more than 800,000 rides taken so far and over 1.8 million miles travelled by users of the pilot.

Although there have been concerns raised about an increase in e-scooter injuries following groundbreaking research by a surgeon and his team at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Rules and safety

All users of the e-scooters must be over 18 and have at least a provisional driving license, with it being an offence to allow any younger people to use their account to unlock the vehicles.

Private e-scooters are not covered by the trial and remain illegal to use on all public roads.

The company has also begun to host free safety and training events in the city with more planned over the coming months.

While the majority of rides are completed safely with e-scooters parked correctly, action will be taken against users who do not follow the rules.

Public feedback continues to be taken into consideration as the trial progresses.

Changes to e-scooter rules

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, the City Council and Voi have worked together on a set of changes to the way the pilot operates, including:

New parking bays with £25 fines issued for illegal or dangerous parking

At weekends use of the e-scooters are more controlled, with certain additional areas designated as ‘no riding zones’ and a full stop of the service after 9pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Users breaking rules of the road will be issued temporary (one week, one month) or even permanent bans.

Reaction

Councillor Daniel Barrington, Cabinet Member, Climate Change and Environment at Liverpool City Council said: “When used correctly, Voi e-scooters are a convenient and eco-friendly way of moving people around the city. As with any pilot, we will continue to monitor and address any concerns raised about the scheme and I welcome the changes being made.

“There are always lessons to be learned, and we’re committed to improving the scheme and the experience of riders, pedestrians and other road users in Liverpool.”

By the numbers: According to Voi data, e-scooters rides have replaced over 275,000 private car trips in Liverpool, saving over 248 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Action areas: The most popular areas to ride a Voi e-scooter are around public transport locations including Liverpool Central Station, Liverpool One Bus Station, Liverpool James Street and Pier Head, suggesting that many riders are using e-scooter journeys as part of longer journeys using the wider public transport network.

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