Lime doubles down in London after Paris bans e-scooters

Battery-powered scooters and bicycles are causing controversy among motorists and pedestrians. Photo: Alex MacNaughton/Alamy Stock Photo

E-scooter launches -up Lime plans a £25 million expansion in London after the company was banned from Paris last year.

Investing in the UK capital will allow the US scooter and e-bike rental company to expand into three more boroughs and open a new warehouse in North London.

It comes after e-scooters were removed from the streets of the French capital last year following a referendum.

Lime is currently available in half of London's 32 boroughs and the company plans to spend a further £1 million on dedicated parking . regions.

The company offers both scooter and bicycle rentals in the capital, but a spokesman said it will only expand its e-bike rental operations in the capital.

This will potentially spark further controversy as battery-powered bikes and scooters cause controversy among motorists and pedestrians, and there are concerns about illegal use and cluttered sidewalks.

Although riding a private scooter is still illegal. Scooter rentals are now allowed on UK roads in certain pilot areas across the UK, with a speed limit of 25.5mph unlocked via an app.

Proponents of the technology argue that electric scooters offer a low-carbon alternative to cars. helping to clear roads and reduce emissions.

However, government data shows there were at least 1,269 collisions involving e-scooters in the year to June 2023, up from 1,462 in the previous year.

There were seven deaths related to e-scooters in 2023, up from 12 deaths the year before.

More than half of all accidents are caused by e-scooters. The scooters originated outside government testing areas, suggesting they originated from the illegal use of privately owned e-scooters.

Lime is one of the few e-scooter companies to have seen a drop in demand in recent years as rivals such as Bird went bust after spending billions of dollars on rapid expansion plans.

The company said its orders rose 32% to $616 million (£487 million) in 2023. reporting adjusted earnings of $90 million, Lime is exploring a U.S. listing.

Wayne Ting, Lime CEO, said: “As we head into another record year, Lime is committed to continued growth in 2024 with the launch of new vehicle options and plans to expand to new cities.»