E-scooter bosses at Voi launch winter safety campaign to help riders in Portsmouth

Voi, which runs a major scooter hire programme in Portsmouth, has created a new education safety campaign for the winter.

The effort launched today as part of the nationwide Road Safety Week, set up by charity Brake.

As part of the bid, Voi will share top tips across its online channels as well as including regular in-app messages and a dedicated webpage.

And on Thursday the firm will stage a free safety webinar. All those who register and attend will receive a free Voi-branded helmet.

It comes after 13 people have been seriously injured so far in the Portsmouth trial period.

Matthew Pencharz, head of policy, UK, Ireland and Benelux, said: ‘Safety is at the forefront of everything we do at Voi and our scooters are designed in Sweden so, when it comes to winter, we’ve got this.

‘Brake's Road Safety Week gives us an opportunity to kick-off our winter campaign to encourage riders to be more aware and considerate of the conditions.’

Residents in Portsmouth have welcomed the new safety campaign although riders have been less than enthusiastic about it.

Mary Cauld, 54 of Southsea, hoped the campaign might improve how riders use the scooters. She said: ‘It’s got to be a good thing. Some people ride on these scooters through the street so fast it can be dangerous. I’ve seen them weaving in and out of traffic too.’

Tegan Farmdon, 21, was using one of the scooters for the second time from one of the rental stations in Guildhall Square, Portsmouth.

She wasn’t sure the safety campaign would have any impact and said: ‘I think it’ll be hard to get people to turn up to the seminars. I don’t think people will choose to do it if they don’t have to.’

As part of the safety campaign, Voi is urging people to join the RideLikeVoila sessions, the company’s online traffic school. Users will learn safety tips and after completing courses will earn credits they can spend on rides.

Riders are also being urged to wear bright clothing to help them be seen during winter and to turn on ‘beginner’s mode’ for those who are first-time riders. The mode automatically restricts the maximum speed of scooters to 10pm.

Voi is also calling on riders to make sure they wear helmets and keep their eyes on the road, particularly if they’re slippery or icy.

Jason Wakeford, head of campaigns at Brake, said: ‘Road Safety Week is the UK’s biggest annual road safety campaign and is a great opportunity to speak up for road safety.

‘This year everyone can acknowledge and celebrate the heroic efforts of people working to save lives on roads across the country - and recognise that we can all be road safety heroes by using roads safely and taking actions for road safety in our families, schools, communities and where we work.’

To book a Voi safety webinar, see https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/voi-x-safety-webinar-lunch-and-learn-tickets-181033876197

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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