50 e-scooters arrive from Sweden
/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.voiscooters.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F10%2FGiJ-Voi_Bath-003.jpg?ssl=1)
We do try to remain upbeat about new initiatives but this one could look a bit questionable at first glance. However it’s got a few hidden secrets. First the bad news:
With social distancing in place on public transport, our e-scooter trial is a chance for us to try a new, low carbon way to get our region moving, particularly up and down the big hills we have both Bristol and Bath.West of England Mayor Tim Bowles
The trouble is, Tim, the trial area does not include any big hills where a lot of our residents live.
Many short journeys which could often be made on foot or by bike are usually made by car, so the availability of other options will help people make small changes to the way they travel. I look forward to seeing the e-scooter trial develop as another means to help improve our air quality and health as well as encouraging people to shop local.Councillor Dine Romero, Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council
The trouble is our outer residential communities are not covered by this scheme and I’ve only seen younger people using them.
To understand the offer, you have to download the app to your phone. I’ve written to the Council suggesting they make the offer clearer, up front, in the hope that more residents will at least try it.
The good news, if you do engage with it, it becomes quite interesting.
- It’s not as expensive as it looks. The headline price is £1 to hire and 20p per minute. So a 10 minute journey at 10mph max will cost you £3 and you will be able to travel 1.67 miles which will save you 20 minutes compared to walking but probably less for car.
- For £4.95, you can make multiple journeys all day and not pay any more.
- If you do the training course, which takes 10 minutes, you get £5 credit, which gives you a full day’s use.
- If you persuade someone else to sign up and take the test, then both they and you get £2 further credit.
- If you are a Skandy fan and love puns as well, you’ll love the Swedish operator’s prose. “Bon Voiyage”. Become a “Voila” – voila!
So
If you fall in love with these they’re 4000 kroner – roughly £350 for a refurbished one, though not yet available in the UK.
I’ve now had a response from Cllr Joanna Wright which confirms the intended next few stages on this project.
It is a WECA led project and is very much a trial which is taking baby steps.
We have much to do to get in place and fully working so we have begun only with the city centre with the ‘hop on, hop off’ model.
It will be extended shortly to include the RUH so that NHS staff can use them to and from the station.
Eventually the whole of Bath could be covered and a further option of a lease model offered.
Look out for WECA to hold a webinar for all so that this Vision can be understood.
HEALTH WARNING”
I thought I’d better walk the talk today and so we both went for a scoot today. From a functional perspective the scooters worked and going at 10 mph was surprisingly satisfying. The training, the app and the back-end accounting proved to be terrible. I expected to pay nothing today, having earned credits from doing the training and passing, and got charged £15 without being informed, and only found out about the charging after checking my bank account. The email support was quite timely but was misleading, erroneous and unhelpful. It was as if they were telling me how to use an android phone when I had an iphone. None of it made any sense at all. They talked about the colour scheme on the app’s map which did not match reality. I got accused of parking it a wrong place and yet it was compliant with the training and the app’s map.
THE BOTTOM LINE
I withdraw my all my personal support for this service until I receive a full explanation from WECA (West of England Combined Authority) who have commissioned this service from Voi.
Pricing seems odd , used lime in Many countries without issue, Birdy raised concerns as did other major operators about trials in Bath and Sheffield due to Terrain with the government, and we can confirm that as we have a escooter of our own used for commuting and can confirm hill too much for standard power.
Retail scooters are lighter as well would avoid a refurb as batteries are not cheap.
Scooters are a great transport alternative for commuters and quick trips into town.