E-scooter company offers free rides for Northampton NHS workers during lockdown

Electric scooter company, Voi, is giving away free rides to NHS and emergency service staff in Northampton town centre as the second lockdown starts tomorrow (Thursday).

Their new campaign is called 'Voi 4 Heroes' and to apply for a pass, users need to upload a valid NHS identity, Blue Light card or a Defence Discount Service through the Voi website.

On receipt of the proof, Voi will send a confirmation email allowing the rider to claim free rides in the Voi app, any rides taken before are not eligible for discount.

It comes as Voi has come under fire in Northampton since the launch of the scheme on September 3, with seventeen official complaints made to the county council over underage scooter-riders misusing the scheme and scooters being ditched in the middle of the pavements.

This has lead to Voi giving the e-scooters their own number plates so police can spot riders who flout the law and 10 more 'ambassadors' are on the streets to teach users how to ride safely.

Fredrik Hjelm, co-founder and CEO of Voi Technology, said: “At Voi, we want to ensure that key workers can get around safely, without having to use public transport or be hit by cancelled services.

Three-hundred scooters were launched in Northampton, as part of the UK government trial to reduce the carbon footprint, which are paid for by the minute via an app.

He added: "When facing a stressful day at work, the last thing you want to be worrying about is how to get home, and we hope that Voi can make things just that little bit easier for workers on the front line.”

They have been dotted around the town at places such as the train station, bus station and the university campus, in bid to encourage bus, taxi or car users to jump on a scooter instead.

The scooters have an area of the town where they are allowed to be taken to, which has been worked out by Voi and the county council and includes the town centre and stretches to as far as Moulton Park.

To keep riders safe, all Voi e-scooters are, apparently, 'disinfected daily' and the handlebars of each scooter feature copper tape which 'minimises coronavirus on contact'.