Voi: Rent e-bikes and e-scooters in Southampton

To be eligible to ride a Voi e-scooter, users must be 18 years old or over, and have at least a provisional driving licence, which must be scanned through to the Voi app when a rider rents their first e-scooter.

To rent an e-bike, no licence is required, and users must be 16 years old or over. However, the e-bike rental age will initially be 18, as Voi upgrades its app to enable a different minimum age for both rental e-scooters and e-bikes. This is expected to be completed in August 2024.

For added safety, riders are encouraged to wear a helmet and take part in the Ridelikevoila training.

To get started, download the free Breeze app on Google Play (Android) or the App Store (iPhone). You’ll also be able to organise your travel on a variety of public transport. For more information, please visit the Voi website.

To rent either an e-scooter or e-bike:

• Download either the Breeze or Voi apps
• Create an account and add a payment method
• Upload your driving licence details (e-scooters only, not needed for e-bikes)
• Take a short safety quiz
• Find a nearby e-scooter or e-bike on the in-app map
• Scan the QR code to unlock
• For e-bikes: Adjust the saddle to the correct height and release the kickstand
• Enjoy your ride, following local regulations
• End your ride in the app and park correctly

For e-bikes specifically:

• The electric motor kicks in once you start pedalling
• The bikes have two gears which change automatically
• You can watch this video to see how to ride an e-bike

Both rental e-scooters and e-bikes cost £0.99 to unlock and then 18p per minute of usage. Alternatively, you can buy:

• A day pass for £10 (maximum 120 minutes)
• A month pass for £39.99 (300 minutes) or £54.99 (750 minutes)
• A monthly Free Unlock Pass for £4.99 per month

You may be charged a small temporary pre-ride fee before you take your ride.

Voi offers discounts for groups including NHS staff, military personnel, students, over 65s, disabled people, and people on a low income. View details of Voi discounts.

A Free Unlock Pass is a monthly subscription where regular users pay a fixed monthly fee (usually £4.99) to avoid paying the £0.99 unlock fee for each ride. Riders get unlimited free unlocks and only pay the per-minute rate (£0.18/min) for their rides.

The pass automatically renews each month, but users can cancel at any time. In the Voi app, press the 'Get a Voi Pass' button or select Voi Pass from the menu to see this and other available passes.

Both can be used on roads, cycle paths, and shared-use paths within Southampton. There are no-ride zones and slow-speed zones in some areas. Neither can be used on pavements where people walk. Please follow the rules of the road and be considerate of other road users and pedestrians.

You can only ride within a geo-fenced area, which Voi has agreed with the council. You can see the boundaries of this area on the Breeze and Voi apps.

Currently, no-ride zones and slow-speed zones are the same for e-bikes and e-scooters, but this is temporary. In the future, some zones will be different – check the Breeze app for updates.

Please remember that rental e-scooters and rental e-bikes cannot be used on pavements where people walk, unless it is a clearly marked, shared-use path.

You can use the Breeze and Voi in-app maps to locate parking bays across the area. All journeys must start and end at these designated areas. If the parking bay is at its maximum capacity, you’ll need to find another nearby which has space available.

You must take and submit an ‘end of ride photo’ of your parked e-scooter or e-bike at the end of each ride. Photos are reviewed daily by Voi, and action is taken if riders do not comply with the safe parking guidelines.

Read more in Voi’s guide to parking.

If you see any unsafe parking or abandoned e-scooters take a note of the e-scooter’s number plate and the time and report to Voi.

Yes, on Voi's website you can submit a request for a new parking spot.

Your request will be reviewed by Voi and any suitable locations will be discussed and considered by the council. Please note, all parking spots on public footways in Southampton will need enough space to fit a rack plus 1.8m of space for people to get around them.

Rental-bikes are limited to 15.5 mph, while rental e-scooters are limited to 12.5 mph. There are 'go-slow' zones where speed is limited to either 8 mph or 5 mph.

We’ve worked with Voi to limit the speed of rental e-scooters to 12.5 mph and rental e-bikes to 15.5mph, with set boundaries in certain areas in the city. The speed limit of Southampton’s rental e-scooters is below the 15.5mph cap set for the government trial but still allows scooters to mix safely with other traffic.

If a rider enters a slow-ride or no-ride zone, the rental e-scooter will automatically slow or stop, depending on the zone type, thanks to Voi’s geofencing technology. Users can locate slow-ride or no-ride zones within their app.

You’re likely to find slow-ride zones within busy areas where a lot of people are walking or there’s a high volume of motor traffic.

You should never ride rental e-scooters or e-bikes under the influence of drink or drugs.

Voi rental e-scooters are classified as motor vehicles. If a rider is stopped and found to be under the influence of drink, drugs or other substances they will be in violation of Voi’s terms of use.

More importantly they will be subject to the law in the same way as any vehicle driver and could face imprisonment, a driving ban and a fine if found guilty of drink-riding. Find out more about drink-driving penalties.

Private e-scooters are not part of the trial and remain illegal to use on public roads, pavements, and spaces. Only Voi rental e-scooters are permitted for the trial.

In Southampton, you can ride either a rental e-scooter or e-bike between 4am and 12am. The e-bike service will be available 24/7 again when Voi completes the upgrade to its app to allow different operating hours. This is expected to be in August 2024.

Under normal conditions, rental e-scooters and e-bikes can travel for about 100 km (62 miles) from a 100% charge. You can check the battery percentage in the Breeze or Voi apps, or on the dashboard (e-bike only). The e-bike dashboard displays five bars representing 100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20% charge remaining. You will get a warning if the battery is approaching low charge.

You can hire an e-bike or e-scooter for a long ride within the geofenced area, but you cannot take it for a ride outside that area. It would be most economical to buy a day pass for a long ride which gives you 120 minutes for £10.

No, you cannot take Voi e-scooters or e-bikes on buses, trains, or ferries.

No. You need the Breeze or Voi apps to unlock the bike. The wheels will not turn unless the bike is unlocked.

Problems with vehicles can be reported through the Breeze and Voi apps, or by emailing support@voiapp.com.

All rental e-scooters and e-bikes are subject to normal road rules.

Remember:

• Follow traffic rules
• Do not ride on pavements (except shared-use paths)
• Only one person per vehicle
• Do not ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol
• Only park in designated areas

Yes, the Department of Transport (DfT) requires third party liability insurance, and this is included in the rental price for all trips. Please contact Voi if you have an accident on 07476 550190. You can check Voi’s T&Cs.

Wearing a helmet is recommended. Voi offers incentives for helmet use through their 'helmet selfie' feature.

Voi prioritises safety through:

• Rider education and training via the RideSafe Academy
• In-app safety tips and social media campaigns
• Collaboration with police and local councils
• Action against riders who disregard rules (warnings, fines, bans)
• Geofencing technology to enforce no-ride and slow-speed zones
• Regular maintenance and safety checks on vehicles

Voi works closely, at both a national and local level, with associations representing people with sight loss, including the RNIB, Guide Dogs, Sight Loss Councils and the Thomas Pocklington trust, to ensure they understand the impact of their vehicles on disabled people.

Voi staff have undertaken pan disability awareness training. Voi is a member of the Solent Micromobility Equalities Forum, where local equalities groups can voice their concerns and Voi can demonstrate what they are doing to minimise equalities impacts of its scheme.

Vehicles should always be returned to parking bays once a rider has finished their journey, meaning that they should not be abandoned on paths and potentially obstructing pavements, especially for people with sight loss.

Voi has also partnered with the Lazarillo app, which uses real time voice messages to guide people with sight loss. Users will receive real-time information on where Voi vehicles are parked, so that they don’t risk colliding with any of them. In addition, Lazarillo’s subscribers can report any poorly parked vehicles directly to Voi using an ‘alert’ facility in the app. Find out more on Voi's blog. 

No, but Voi advises you to complete safety training in its app and its online traffic school, RideSafe Academy.

You can report issues through Voi’s online form at Report a Voi. You can also email them at support@voiapp.io or call the 24-hour customer service helpline on 0808 501 5724. If possible, include the vehicle’s number plate (if an e-scooter), location, time, and date.

Riders must not:

• Leave rental e-scooters or e-bikes lying on the ground
• Obstruct the pavement
• Cause an obstacle to other road or pavement users

An educational warning message will be sent first, followed by a £25.00 fine if the rider ignores the rules for parking in an approved space for a second time.

Voi takes riding safely and legally very seriously. If Voi receives a confirmed report of an offence from the police, or via their customer service support centre, then Voi will always seek to take action against the rider responsible, such as issuing a warning or permanently removing the rider from the service. To do this, Voi will ask the police for supporting information, including the date, time, and place of the offence and, if possible, the e-scooter’s number plate.

Ensure your safety first. Contact the police (101) or emergency services (999) if needed. Then contact Voi via support@voiapp.io or their 24-hour helpline (07476 550190) with incident details and the police report number.

Yes, both rental e-scooters and e-bikes have bright front and back lights. E-bikes also have a rear brake light. We advise you to wear reflective clothing when it’s dark for extra visibility.

In extreme weather conditions such as high winds, snow, and ice, Voi may put the vehicles out of service. You should adjust your speed to the weather conditions and remember to allow extra time for braking in wet and icy conditions.

Yes, you can reserve a rental e-scooter or e-bike for 15 minutes free of charge using the Voi app.

Voi conducts regular maintenance checks and uses swappable batteries. Batteries are monitored remotely and swapped when low. They are taken to the Voi warehouse where they are checked for faults and charged in closely monitored conditions to minimise fire risk.

In November 2020, Solent Transport launched the regional electric scooter (e-scooter) rental trial, funded by the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Future Transport Zone programme. The trial covers the Isle of Wight, Southampton and Portsmouth with the trial period extended to May 2026. As of October 2022, electric bikes (e-bikes) were added to the scheme regionally – as e-bikes are already legal, they are not being trialled.

Voi has been selected to operate both schemes, replacing the previous Beryl services in Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. Voi has already been operating e-scooters in Southampton and Portsmouth since March 2021.

The trial forms part of a national approach to building a more sustainable travel network. These vehicles offer a safe transport option and often replace short car journeys, help improve air quality, and reduce traffic congestion.

Southampton City Council and Solent Transport evaluate the trial. The Department for Transport (DfT) is also evaluating all the schemes separately through its own monitoring and evaluation exercise.

What are the main benefits of these schemes?

There are a several benefits to the schemes, including:

• Supporting short commuter journeys
• Providing convenient, affordable, and flexible travel for point-to-point journeys, or for the first or last mile to public transport
• Lowering environmental footprint, with huge potential to improve air quality and reduce climate change
• Reducing traffic congestion
• Providing a green, carbon-neutral transportation solution to lower the cities’ emissions and improve air quality
• Economic benefits by improving the efficiency of road use. More information is available in Voi’s sustainability report.

Currently, only rental e-scooters can be legally used on public roads, cycle lanes and shared cycle and footpaths. Southampton's scheme forms an approved part of the Department for Transport’s national trial. Privately-owned e-scooters remain illegal, except on private land and with the landowner’s permission.

Voi rental e-scooters are insured, and all users must be aged 18 or over and have a valid driving licence. As private e-scooters are illegal on public roads, they do not have any such requirements.

Before a user can rent a Voi e-scooter for the first time, they must complete in-app training on safe and considerate riding. Further training is also available from Voi in regular online webinars and in-person safety events, with users encouraged to attend by offers of free helmets and free minutes.

Voi’s rental e-scooters must meet Department for Transport standards, so they are subject to a rigorous maintenance routine, including their batteries, to ensure they can be safely used on the road and do not put the rider or anyone else at risk.

Southampton's e-scooter rental scheme has a mandatory in-app reaction test during evening hours at weekends, and at major events, like Let's Rock. Users must pass the reaction test to rent an e-scooter, helping to enforce Voi’s strict position that users must never ride while under the influence of drink or drugs.

Voi rental e-scooters are automatically limited to 12.5mph, or slower in designated “go slow zones”. This means they can only be ridden and parked in approved areas, and fines are issued to those who do not park in a designated bay.