Since the beginning of Edinburgh’s Voi bike scheme in August 2025, the number of Voi bikes in the city have dramatically increased from just 50 to over 700.
The bike scheme now moves into its third stage, with more parking zones to be expanded.
The Voi area will now include Stockbridge, Crewe Toll, Inverleith, and Newhaven.
The bikes have reportedly cut 35,000 car journeys in Edinburgh, highlighting their positive environmental impact with “an average of 1,000 journeys per day” reduced by the scheme.
It seems to be doing much better than its failed predecessor, Just Eat Bikes, which were halted in 2021 due to vandalism and overall expense.
However, the number of bikes have attracted criticism from Scottish Green councillors for obstructing pavements.
But there are perks for university students and staff, with a 50 per cent discount through Voi’s Equitable Access scheme.
No doubt this is partly why the bikes are popular among students – and why they have been so successful.
For one student, the bikes are “a really convenient way to get from A to B quickly … mak[ing] difficult bus journeys simple” as well as being “a great alternative to Uber, and much cheaper too.”
She saw no problem with pedestrian spaces being occupied by Voi bikes, saying: “They’re usually placed where bikes are already commonly parked … and Voi’s limits on how many bikes can be left in one spot help prevent overcrowding.”
Cheap, accessible, and environmentally-friendly, Voi bikes seem to be becoming the new norm for getting around Edinburgh.
Image by Eve Robertson for The Student.