More time for Lime scooters

Lime scooters look like they are here to stay in Christchurch – and there could be even more of them on the city’s roads and footpaths.

The council is set to extend a permit for the electronic scooters for another 12 months, as well as increasing the number on the streets to 1000. Over a quarter of Christchurch’s population have used Lime scooters since they were introduced on a trial basis in October, and authorities are keen to capitalise on the scheme’s popularity.

The firm behind it was charged only the cost of a trading permit for the trial period but could now have to pay an annual fee of $86.25 for each scooter it operates in the city.

California-based Lime may also face competition from rival e-scooter companies, as the council is considering allowing other businesses’ bids to operate similar schemes.

Christchurch currently has 700 e-scooters and officials have suggested a citywide limit of 1600, to ensure the market is not saturated..

The pilot was due to finish at the end of February but council staff have recommended an extension after positive results from studies into use of the scooters.

A similar move has already been given the green light in Auckland. But the scooters have not been without controversy.

Earlier this week Lime admitted a glitch that has caused some of its scooters to brake randomly, causing at least one accident that left a rider in hospital.

Despite concerns, Christchurch residents have taken them to heart.

More than 100,000 people made over 400,000 trips during the trial, mostly around the central city and Hagley Park for journeys of less than 10 minutes.

While most used them just a handful of times, some fans took 30 or more trips, and each scooter was used an average of seven times a day.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with 93 per

cent of users calling for e-scooters to be allowed to stay.

A city council survey of 8000 people also found 75 per cent said the scooters have had a positive effect on Christchurch.

Research found that people in Christchurch are more positive about the scooters than Aucklanders, who have a more mixed view on their impact.

A report to councillors recommending the extension of Lime’s permit for another 12 months said: ‘‘It is clear that the demand for shared e-scooters is greater than the existing cap of 700 vehicles currently permitted ...

‘‘Staff are therefore recommending lifting Lime’s permitted cap to 1000 vehicles.’’

The Lime craze has swept New Zealand in recent months, being rolled out in Dunedin, Lower and Upper Hutt, with plans for expansions to Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Queenstown. The scooters, which can go up to 27kmh using electric motors, can be rented using an app for $1 plus 30 cents per minute (the equivalent of $18/hr) and can be left anywhere within a certain area.

The Christchurch survey found that most people have ridden them on footpaths, with others using shared paths and cycleways.

The city council has received a number of complaints, mainly about riders not wearing helmets or being under 18.

Almost 20 per cent of users surveyed said they had allowed a child to operate the scooter, while more than a quarter had been on one with more than one person aboard.

Councillors will consider the recommendation on Wednesday before making a decision at a later date.