Liverpool's £300k Scooter Fiasco: New Firm Promises Order After Years of Chaos
After years of mounting losses and anti-social behaviour that plagued Liverpool's streets, a new operator has taken control of the city's troubled e-scooter scheme, promising stricter parking controls and better outcomes for residents.
Estonian firm Bolt launches its operation tomorrow, deploying 2,000 green e-scooters and 150 e-bikes across Liverpool, marking the company's first foray into the British market. The move comes after the previous operator, Voi, withdrew from the city following sustained problems with theft, vandalism, and improper parking that cost taxpayers dearly.
Costly Legacy of Failed Scheme
Liverpool Council's previous CityBike scheme collapsed under the weight of annual losses reaching £300,000, forcing the authority to abandon the initiative entirely. Cabinet reports from 2022 revealed how the scheme's size diminished year on year due to persistent theft and vandalism, coupled with insufficient funding for replacement vehicles.
The failure of proper British oversight led to foreign operator Voi stepping in under a government trial system, initially scheduled to end in November 2021 but repeatedly extended due to pandemic disruptions and operational challenges.
Promises of Better Control
Georgia Heathman, Bolt's UK policy lead, acknowledged the challenges facing the new operation but insisted the company would implement robust measures to prevent the anti-social dumping of vehicles that has frustrated residents.
"We will be maintaining mandatory parking and we have controls in place so we will have caps on the number of vehicles that can be left in a certain parking bay," Heathman told reporters.
The Tallinn-based company, which operates across 250 European cities, will introduce distance-based pricing rather than time-based charges, claiming this encourages more responsible riding behaviour and proper parking practices.
24-Hour Operation Raises Concerns
Unlike its predecessor, Bolt's service will operate around the clock, seven days a week, extending coverage to Speke and Garston. The expanded operation raises questions about night-time supervision and potential for increased anti-social behaviour during unsupervised hours.
The company's reliance on artificial intelligence for monitoring usage, while technologically advanced, may prove insufficient for addressing the real-world challenges that have plagued similar schemes across Britain's urban centres.
Two-Year Contract with Extension Options
Liverpool Council has awarded Bolt a two-year contract with potential for extension, contingent on the company's ability to deliver the promised improvements. The arrangement represents another attempt to make micro-mobility work in a British context where previous efforts have struggled with public acceptance and operational sustainability.
Whether this latest foreign operator can succeed where others have failed remains to be seen, but Liverpool residents will be watching closely to ensure their streets don't once again become dumping grounds for abandoned vehicles.