Voi adds Kettering and West Bromwich to its e-scooter family in the U.K.

We’re scooting into two new towns this week, bringing a convenient, eco-friendly way of travel to a fresh audience! Kettering in Northamptonshire and West Bromwich in the West Midlands borough of Sandwell are now kicking off their Voi e-scooter trials.

The trials will start with 25 and 50 of our coral-coloured scooters in West Bromwich and Kettering respectively, with more to be rolled out after the initial phase.

The scooters, which can be booked via the Voi app (downloadable for free in Google Play and the Apple App Store), will have a top speed of 10mph to start and will be available to rent from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. in Kettering and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in West Bromwich. Riders must be at least 18 years of age and hold (at minimum) a valid provisional driving licence.

Users will pay £1 to unlock the scooter and then £0.20 per minute of riding. Voi also offers 24-hour (at £10) and 30-day (at £40) subscriptions, allowing users to take more rides at a fixed rate. We pride ourselves on making scooters accessible for all, so we also offer discounts for students, those on a low income, and NHS and emergency service workers.

In the U.K., e-scooters trials are part of a green transport push legalised by the Department of Transport back in July. We operate zero-emissions scooters, and our operations have been carbon neutral since this year. As open-air, single-occupancy vehicles, e-scooters also help people to stay socially distant from one another during the COVID-19 pandemic (our e-scooters undergo daily cleanings and scooter handlebars feature antiviral copper tape to minimise transmission of the coronavirus).

At Voi, we also go the extra mile to keep riders, cyclists, pedestrians, and other road users safe. Our safety operations exceed U.K. Government requirements. We host regular in-person and online rider education, such as our RideLikeVoila online traffic school. Interested in what we’re doing to keep everyone who shares the road in the U.K. safe? Read more about our safety initiatives.

If you can’t do it on a bicycle, you can’t do it on an e-scooter. All riders should obey the Highway Code, wear a helmet, and be vigilant about pedestrians, especially vulnerable road users and children. Never ride on the pavement — that’s strictly prohibited.

Welcome, Kettering and West Bromwich — we’re glad to have you as a part of the Voi fam!