Squeeze to go on Lime as Neuron escooters take to city footpaths
THE battle for Dunedin’s footpaths is about to get zestier as a Lime competitor brings orange electric scooters to the city.
Neuron Mobility, which operates in Auckland and Australian cities such as Brisbane and Adelaide, is set to start its Dunedin escooter hire service early next month.
Both Neuron and Lime have been granted sixmonth permits by the Dunedin City Council to provide up to 250 scooters each from the start of this year.
Lime is understood to have run between 400 and 600 scooters in Dunedin previously.
Safety features for the Neuron scooters include integrated helmets.
The company is advertising for drivers, patrollers and mechanics to ensure its scooters are charged and in the right places.
The city council started tightening up on the escooter market last year amid concerns scooters were being parked in ways that were hazardous to pedestrians.
It passed a bylaw in October that covered various street activities, such as busking and the use of tables and chairs on footpaths.
Under the bylaw, escooter companies had to obtain a permit and abide by a code of practice.
From July, companies may be charged a fee to operate on Dunedin streets, if that is what councillors decide in April or May this year.
Dunedin will be the second city in New Zealand to host Neuron scooters, after Auckland.
The company was founded in Singapore in 2016.
Company chief executive Zachary Wang said safety was its top priority and dictated the escooter design.
‘‘Escooters are a great way for locals and tourists to travel in a safe, convenient and fun way,’’ he said.