NEW e-scooters have started to appear on the streets – and pavements – of the Downend area after a new hire contractor was brought in.
The West of England Combined Authority announced earlier this year that it was ending its contract with original scooter hire operator Voi and switching to a new provider, Tier.
The switch between the two providers took place on October 14, with 2,000 of the new light green scooters rolled out, from an eventual total of 4,000.
A fleet of 1,500 electric bikes and 20 cargo e-bikes will also be added.
The hire e-scooters, which can be hired using an app, are the only electric scooters legal for use on public roads.
Tier head of public policy Jessica Murphy said: “Bristol is an incredible example of how to positively integrate shared micro-mobility into a busy city.
“We are incredibly proud to have the opportunity to serve the people of Bristol and to expand the fleet with e-bikes and cargo bikes very soon.”
Voi’s distinctive pink fleet of e-scooters had been a common sight in the region since 2020 but the Swedish operator said changes to the new contract for the region would have left it running “at a loss”.