Voi e-scooters will shut down for New Year’s Eve

Rental e-scooter company, Voi, is advising riders to plan their journeys this New Year’s Eve as, with the exception of London, e-scooters will be temporarily unavailable after 9pm to discourage drinking and scooting.

The safety measure, agreed with local authorities in the areas where the Voi e-scooters operate outside of London, will see them temporarily disabled from 9pm on 31 December 2023 until 8am on 1 January 2024.

Additionally, the operator’s in-app reaction test will be activated daily from 25 December to 1 January between 9pm and 4am, to mitigate the potential risk of drink riding.

In London, the reaction test has been active daily since 14 December.

Across most of the capital, e-scooters will continue to be operational throughout New Year’s Eve, 24/7. However, riders are advised to check the app for availability in central London on New Year’s Eve due to New Year’s Eve celebrations and the New Year’s Day parade.

Anyone caught by the police riding an e-scooter while over the drink-drive limit could lose their driving licence.

Voi’s pioneering Reaction Test assesses a rider’s reactions, which decrease significantly after consuming alcohol. Whether the rider passes or fails, they are advised that drinking and riding is not only dangerous but is also potentially a serious offence. Voi advises riders who fail the Reaction Test to choose another form of transport.

Since it was launched in September 2020, Voi estimates that the Reaction Test has helped prevent more than 250,000 potentially dangerous rides globally and that at least 50,000 riders chose an alternative form of transport.

Riding an e-scooter under the influence of alcohol not only puts the rider at risk, but other road users too, so Voi is reminding riders of the dangers, especially during the run up to Christmas when it expects to see more people riding to get to social events.

The same alcohol limits for driving motor vehicles in the UK also apply to e-scooters.

Anyone caught by the police for drinking while scooting could face arrest and substantial sanctions, which could include a fine, disqualification from driving any vehicle and imprisonment.

Throughout the festive season, Voi will continue its routine field operations and logistical tasks, such as battery swapping and scooter collection to ensure services continue to run smoothly over the period.

Jack Samler, Voi regional general manager UK, Ireland and France, said:

“Safety is at the forefront of everything we do at Voi and while we know that the majority of e-scooter riders do ride safely and responsibly, we are taking this measure, in partnership with local authorities across the UK, to help ensure everyone can enjoy the festivities safely.

“We want people to enjoy themselves this New Year’s Eve, but if you’re planning a night out, remember to plan your journey and consider how you’ll get around. Never drink and ride.”

Voi closely monitors its operations and irresponsible or unsafe use is enforced with user bans. Incidents of bad riding practices are well managed and 0.02% of total Voi account holders (UK-wide) have been blocked.

Unsafe riding or inappropriate use of Voi e-scooters can be reported to report.voi.com via the Voi app or website.

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