There are a number of options available to students when travelling around the city.
We’ve pulled together some useful safety advice around travelling in taxis, licenced vehicles, and when using rental e-scooters.
Hackney Cabs
Hackney Cabs are one of the two types of licenced vehicles in Liverpool.
They can be hailed in the street when the ‘FOR HIRE’ light is illuminated, when the taxi is on a rank or if booked in advance from an office or taxi company.
A Liverpool Licenced Hackney Cab will have a roof light showing the word TAXI, a yellow plate on the front and rear of the vehicle and a yellow illuminated sign inside the taxi which displays the number plate. The driver should have a personal ID badge and tariff sheet on display inside.
Private Hire
Private Hire vehicles are the other type of licenced vehicle available in Liverpool. They can only pick up passengers who have pre-booked – they can’t be hailed on the street. You can normally book via phone, an app such as Uber, on a website, or in person at a taxi company office.
These vehicles will have a red and white plate attached to the back of the vehicle and one in the windscreen. They should also have door signs displaying the logo of their private hire operator and have a personal ID badge on display in the vehicle.
E-Scooters
400 e-scooters are available to hire in the city centre and surrounding areas through a scheme run by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Liverpool City Council and e-scooter company VOI.
You can rent an e-scooter using the VOI app, and get anywhere in the city within minutes. They cost £1 to unlock and are then charged at £0.20 per minute.
Only rental scooters from VOI are legal to ride on a public road or other public space, and riders must have at least a provisional driving licence and comply with road traffic legislation.
You could be committing an offence if you’re caught riding on a pavement or using a mobile phone or other handheld mobile device while riding. You can also be stopped for riding through red lights, and riders are subject to the same drink driving rules as if you were driving a car.
Before using an e-scooter it’s worth taking a look at the Voi app which features a ‘safety toolkit’ providing plenty of advice on the right way to ride e-scooters, and there’s access to Ride Like Voila which includes safety quizzes and find all the necessary information on staying safe, parking and traffic rules.
Completing the traffic school’s training can also lead to free riding time, as credit is given as a reward!