120 jobs to be created in green transport scheme.
Voi – Europe’s fastest-growing e-scooter company – has been handed an exclusive contract to bring its revolutionary transport to the West Midlands.
Voi will work hand in hand with Transport for West Midlands to bring an exciting new way to travel to the 5.9 million residents across Birmingham, Coventry, Kenilworth, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Warwickshire. The trial will cover the largest market in Europe awarded by tender to a single operator.
Voi’s distinctive coral e-scooters will be on the streets of Coventry and Birmingham in September, arriving in other locations soon after. The West Midlands partnership follows on the heels of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and Northamptonshire which have also chosen Voi to launch e-scooters and e-bike sharing schemes in their areas. Voi now operates 
The cost of the e-scooter service will be £1 to unlock, plus 20p per minute and is expected to create more than 120 jobs. Subscriptions will also be available and key workers will be given free rides. Courses in riding will also be offered while
helmets at special events, plus rider training will also be provided.
Micro mobility will help the West Midlands region get people back to work at a time when public transport has reduced capacity. It will also play a role in promoting active travel while cutting congestion, lowering pollution and improving air quality.
Fredrik Hjelm, co-founder and CEO of Voi Technology, said: “We are delighted to announce that we will soon be offering the Voi e-scooter service in the West Midlands – a region that has played a significant role in the history of transport, from cars to rail and aviation. Today’s transport innovations are all about helping people to get out of their cars and making greener choices.
“We are seeing the biggest change in a hundred years for the way people travel and Voi is here to help the West Midlands make the most of the opportunity. We can’t wait to get started.”
Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, said: “The West Midlands is proud to be leading the way on future transport development, and it is great to be able to partner with Voi and reveal our plans for e-scooters across the region.
“E-scooters will help bring more flexibility, choice, and greener travel solutions for the West Midlands, at a time when we are facing a climate emergency and urging people to leave the car at home. E-scooters unquestionably offer a healthier, more environmentally friendly, alternative to the car for shorter journeys around our towns and cities, which will in turn help to ease traffic congestion and tackle air pollution.
“As well as the improvements to our transport network, e-scooters could also be a much needed boost for the region’s economy, helping to attract people back into our town and city centres.
“It is a great coup for the West Midlands to be at the forefront of the Government’s e-scooter trial, and I look forward to continuing to work with Voi and local authorities to make sure we maximise the potential of e-scooters across the region.”
Users can get started by downloading the Voi app (Apple App Store/Google Play) or visiting voiscooters.com.