Weca refuses to reveal number of e-scooter gripes

THE West of England Combined Authority is refusing to reveal the number of complaints about e-scooters and ridership figures.

- ALEX SEABROOK

Despite controversially changing the contract to run e-scooters in the Bristol and Bath region from Voi to Tier-Dott, barely any data has been made public.

Pink e-scooters began to be a common site in Bristol and the wider area in 2020, when the West of England first granted the contract to run the rental scheme to Voi, a Swedish company.

Then in 2023, the combined authority chose to give the contract to Tier, a different firm, instead.

The scooters switched from pink to green and soon riders flooded social media with complaints. More scooters appeared to be faulty, the speed limit was substantially lowered, and the app seemed to be more glitchy than before. Last year, Dott took over Tier, and hiked up the prices.

Now the West of England Combined Authority is facing calls to be more transparent over the effects of its decision to switch the contract.

Dott meanwhile declined to comment on how well the scooter trial has performed since they've been in charge, compared to under Voi.