Tag: ride-hailing app

Bolt marks Edinburgh launch with sustainability drive

UK’s second biggest ride-hailing app marks Edinburgh launch with donation to support the city’s sustainability goals

Bolt – the UK’s second largest ride-hailing app with 4m passengers – is crossing the border into Scotland with its latest launch in Edinburgh, as it continues its rapid expansion across the UK.

Bolt was founded in 2013 and currently has 4m customers across the UK. The company has a mission to reduce personal vehicle ownership and increase availability of more sustainable modes of transport. Through its Bolt Green Plan it ensures all rides are carbon neutral.

The launch will see the fastest growing mobility platform in the world support the city in its bid to be a “Million Tree City” by 2030 with a £20,300 donation to the TreeTime Edinburgh initiative, run by Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust.

As part of the partnership and to mark its commitment to the second greenest city in the UK, Bolt’s donation will help the charity to replace a number of lost trees in the city. Trees have been felled in urban areas for various reasons, but through its donation, Bolt will help to replace larger strategically positioned trees, as well as contributing to extending and enriching woodland areas and parks that surround the city with young saplings.

With a number of larger trees being planted roadside, they will serve as a reminder to residents of the importance of the environment and the issue of carbon emissions in the city. With a third of Bolt’s initial city fleet being electric or hybrid vehicles, the ride-hailing service acts as a fast-growing sustainable alternative to the private car, as well as helping residents travel safely and affordably.

To celebrate its arrival in the city, passengers will have the chance to receive up to £8 off their first Bolt ride by entering the following code into the Promotions section of the Bolt app: ARTHURSCARSEAT* when they launch.

Sam Raciti, Bolt’s UK General Manager said: “Launching into Edinburgh and Scotland is a big step for Bolt.

“We take our responsibility in supporting the communities we operate within seriously and it was only right that we helped support the sustainability goals of the UK’s second greenest city through our partnership with TreeTime Edinburgh.

“We can’t wait to offer residents an affordable and responsible way to get around the city they love.”

Charlie Cumming, CEO at Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust, said: “Edinburgh’s trees are a major part of the local landscape and some of the capital’s most famous landmarks, parks and streets would not be the same without them. 

“We’ve calculated that the city needs to be planting roughly 6,500 trees every year to compensate for the trees we lose due to disease and Bolt’s donation and commitment will help us significantly.  We’re very pleased to be working with a company like Bolt that shares the same values and commitment to our local environment.”

Bolt is accepting submissions from Edinburgh passengers for the chance to personalise one of 15 unique plaques on trees planted around the city, providing a lasting legacy and the opportunity to share important messages about protecting the local environment.

Submissions can be sent to the company’s Instagram page, @bolt_uk.

Edinburgh sees biggest taxi surge in UK since lockdown eased

Ride-hailing app, FREE NOW, has reached a post-Covid record level of bookings since indoor hospitality reopened on Monday 17th May.

With its data showing an 38% increase in demand week-on-week in the UK, the company is now recruiting 10,000 more drivers as national restrictions ease further and social mobility grows to meet the growing demand that is set to sky-rocket once the UK fully reopens.  

Since England moved from stage 2 to 3 in the lockdown roadmap last week, taxi journey numbers on the FREE NOW app are approaching pre-pandemic levels, with daily volumes fluctuating around 90% of values from early March 2020, before the first lockdown.

Demonstrating a level of increased confidence amongst Brits, there has been a 150% increase in rides compared to the earlier stage of the lockdown in April. On May 17th, bookings during ‘Beer O’Clock’ – between 5 and 6pm – skyrocketed 107% week-on-week, as people could go to an indoor restaurant or a pub after work for the first time since early November.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the most popular day for travelling last week was Friday largely thanks to a huge growth in the evening as people were hitting the pubs and restaurants. Friday and Saturday night between 11pm – Midnight became the busiest ride-hailing time slot of the week for the first time this year.

On a regional level, in London, it seems that the West End is alive again, with Tottenham Court Road experiencing a whopping 188% rise in rides week-on-week, and Leicester Square 184%, the two largest increases in requests in the capital. 

Among other cities, Edinburgh registered the highest overall weekly growth (108%) with Leith Walk (up by 400%) and Royal Mile (up by 330%) being among the hottest spots.

In Reading, bookings to and from Reading Uni tripled, similarly to Hove Lawns in Brighton and Hove. 

Mariusz Zabrocki, General Manager at FREE NOW, comments: “It’s great to see the UK come alive again as the restrictions continue to ease, following what has been an extremely tough year for all, including the travel and transport industry.

“With many people having lost their jobs during the pandemic, we’re pleased to be recruiting such a large number of drivers across the UK; it’s essential that we can keep up with the growing demand so people can move freely with ease.

“Unlike some of our ride-hailing competitors, we focus on putting driver wellbeing first, and we look forward to welcoming more drivers to the FREE NOW family.”