Electric bike company Lime launches in UK
US electric bike and scooter-sharing company Lime has introduced its e-bikes to the streets of Milton Keynes.
This is the latest move for the Uber-backed company which has spread rapidly across the US and parts of Europe.
Jaanaki Momaya, Lime’s UK general manager, said the scheme would be “an emission-free, affordable, accessible and convenient way of getting around town”.
She added: “We could not think of a better place to launch in the UK and we look forward to expanding into other areas shortly.”
The bikes can be located and unlocked via the Lime phone app and cost £1 to unlock and 15p a minute to ride.
Lime will be the first fully dockless e-bike business after Mobike had to withdraw from Manchester after a high rate of thefts and vandalism.
Lime will start with 50 bikes in Milton Keynes and double that number if demand grows. According to the Guardian, it could be launching its bikes in another UK city by Christmas.
Safety issues have been raised regarding the scooters after a rider died in the US at the weekend, the third fatality in the past three months involving the company. It is still unclear what will happen to scooters in terms of legislation. In the UK they are currently classified as a Personal Light Electric Vehicle which makes them illegal on British roads or pavements.