Voi Technology, the leading UK e-scooter operator, today announced that it will be providing users with discounted rides to and from COVID-19 vaccination sites across Liverpool and the UK in the regions where the company operates. The initiative aims to support the vaccine rollout and ensure people can easily access vaccines that protect them against the virus.
This initiative follows the success of the Voi 4 Heroes programme, which continues to offer NHS and Emergency Service free rides. So far, in Liverpool over 1,230 people are taking advantage of the initiative and over 22,685 free rides were taken since the programme launched.
As of mid-March, more than 25 million people in the UK have received at least one coronavirus vaccine dose. The UK government plans to offer a first vaccine dose to about 32 million people in nine priority groups by 15 April. More than 97% of the population lives within 10 miles of a vaccine service so for cities and towns where Voi is operating, choosing to use an e-scooter to reach the vaccine site can help cut down pollution and traffic.
To claim one of the £8 discounts, users need to have or download the Voi app (available for free in the App Store or Google Play), then click on the bottom left of the Voi app and select ‘Free rides’ and click ‘Redeem a Voucher’ and enter one of the promo codes associated with their region before they start the ride. Riders will find the promo codes via this page voiscooters.com/helping-to-vaccinate-the-uk.
To be eligible, e-scooter trips must start or end at one of the vaccination sites listed on the NHS website. There are over 1,500 COVID-19 vaccination sites on the NHS website here. The discount will run until the vaccination programme is completed (T&Cs apply).
During COVID-19, Voi has become an affordable, convenient, eco-friendly alternative to travelling around by car or public transport. As e-scooters operate in the open air, they are a naturally socially distant mode of transport and have helped people make essential journeys even while public transport capacity has had reduced capacity.
Voi is dedicated to making transportation safer and simpler. Since November 2020, Voi has supported NHS and emergency service workers with unlimited free rides through its Voi 4 Heroes program to make commuting and travel easier during the UK lockdown. To apply for a Voi 4 Heroes pass, users need to upload a valid NHS identity, Blue Light card, or a Defence Discount Service to the Voi website. Since launch, over 4.3K users have taken advantage of the Voi 4 Heroes scheme with more than 73.6K rides being taken since the beginning of lockdown 2.0.
Richard Corbett, general manager, UK, Ireland, and Benelux at Voi, said:
“As the vaccination programme is extended to other age groups, we want to make sure that people can make it to these really important appointments quickly and conveniently. Since we launched our e-scooter services in the UK, our focus has been on helping local communities adopt this carbon-neutral mode of travel, reducing traffic and pollution in the areas where we live and work. We are delighted to offer discounts to people travelling to vaccination sites, supporting this essential healthcare programme which will help us to get back to normal life more quickly and our towns and cities to recover.”
Voi launched its UK services in selected regions in September 2020, as part of the Department for Transport’s e-scooter trial. It is now operating in 17 UK towns and cities, with more trials soon to be announced.
