Bristol e-scooters - new long-term operator sought for 2023

E-scooters have become a familiar sight across Bristol during the Voi rental e-scooter trial which has been running since October 2020.

Now the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) will be looking for a company to take the scheme to the next level and have issued a “Prior Information Notice to the market” to kick off the tender process.

E-scooters could continue to be provided by a single operator or alternatively a group of operators could bid to run the e-scooters alongside e-bikes and e-cargo bikes.

Over 280,000 people have used e-scooters in the West of England making six million journeys since the trial began - but the Voi scheme in Bristol has not come without its difficulties.

In February this year the Voi trial was extended for six months to allow for time to look into concerns including fire safety. It came after a warehouse blaze involving more than 200 Voi e-scooters, which was followed by the head of Avon Fire Authority branding e-scooters a ‘fire risk’.

A Freedom of Information Act request by Bristol World also revealed that Avon Fire and Rescue Service recorded 10 fires involving e-scooters in Bristol between June 2021 and February 2022. Four of them involved Voi e-scooters - although the company said at the time that three were ‘because of externalities out of Voi’s control’.

WECA’s metro mayor, Dan Norris, has the final say on the future of Voi e-scooters in Bristol. In a statement issued to Bristol World today (October 31), Mr Norris said: “The trial has had some notable successes with over a quarter of a million local people using them - which is record breaking nationwide. But there have also been challenges including on safety.

“I back schemes that encourage people to leave the car behind and help us to meet our ambitious net zero targets. I would very much like to encourage providers to now come forward and explain how they would provide a reliable, safe and affordable service for West of England residents.”

The new scheme is expected to start in 2023. The current operator Voi will run e-scooters until the new contract is awarded so there is no gap in provision for residents.

In June, the scheme extended into the north west of the city. but a planned move into areas in the south of the city has still not taken place.