Lime gives way to Neuron’s scooters

Lime scooters will leave Dunedin at the end of this month to be replaced by rival company Neuron...
Lime scooters will leave Dunedin at the end of this month to be replaced by rival company Neuron which will operate up to 500 scooters throughout the city from next month. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
Electric scooter company Lime has soured on the Dunedin market, and will be gone by the end of the month.

Lime, which has been operating in the city since early 2019, yesterday confirmed it had not applied for a new permit and would leave Dunedin at the end of June.

Its competitor, Neuron Mobility, will become the sole e-scooter provider in the city after the Dunedin City Council issued it with a permit to operate 350-500 scooters from July 1, until June 30, 2023.

After ‘‘careful consideration and weighing up many factors’’ Lime made the decision to not apply for a new permit, its public affairs director Lauren Mentjox said in a statement.

A bylaw came into effect at the start of this year requiring all e-scooter companies to gain a permit to operate in Dunedin.

Under the bylaw, e-scooter companies also had to abide by a code of practice, that was developed by council staff, to address concerns that were raised about e-scooters being parked in ways hazardous to pedestrians.

Thirteen cents from each ride goes to the council to cover monitoring and administration costs.

Since Lime scooters hit Dunedin streets, more than 90,000 users had taken more than 750,000 trips.

Ms Mentjox said it had been a ‘‘challenging but rewarding’’ process building the Lime programme in Dunedin.

Lime had created local jobs, leased a warehouse and contributed to other city businesses and services.

The company did not answer the Otago Daily Times’ questions about jobs and the warehouse.

Neuron launched in Dunedin in February with 250 scooters.

‘‘We’ve enjoyed working with Dunedin City Council to adapt and integrate our service to best meet the needs of the city,’’ Neuron Mobility chief executive Zachary Wang said.

‘‘This new permit will allow us to invest more in Dunedin, including the creation of over a dozen new jobs.’’

A council spokesman said Neuron was the only applicant for a permit, but the normal tender process was still followed.

riley.kennedy@odt.co.nz

 

Comments

13 cents a ride to the council, for administration?
Last time I checked, the company itself administers everything, no wonder lime are out, $98k to the council for what?
Typical DCC - extorting money for nothing