A Lime scooter user in central Dunedin on Thursday morning. Photo: Gregor Richardson

Dunedin police are urging riders to exercise caution when using Lime scooters around the city.

Scooters lined up in Bedford St in St Clair. Photo: Justine Price

Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said the arrival of the scooters this morning was "great for the city'', but riders needed to use them with "common sense and practicality''.

"You are going to have injuries with anything - anything that's new and foreign.''

The scooters were classified as a low-powered vehicle that did not require a licence and could be ridden on footpaths, or on the road when the footpath was unavailable or congested, he said.

The scooters can be ridden on the footpath, road, shared pathways and cycle lanes separated by concrete islands but not the cycle lanes painted onto the road.

Riders were also required to use the scooters in a careful and considerate manner and at a speed that did not put others at risk, he said.

Those who failed to do so could be issued with infringement notices for improper use, or even face charges in court, he said.

He was not expecting any particular challenges to riders as a result of Dunedin's steep hill terrain, but a period of education would be required - including when students returned to the city in the coming weeks.

Police were already planning to talk to them about the new devices, he said.