Lime e-scooter trial comes to an end after 12 months

A 12-month e-scooter trial has now come to an end in Rochdale centre.

Run by Lime – which has schemes in 125 countries around the world – the initial roll-out saw 100 scooters hit the streets in March last year.
 

Read more: E-scooters to hit streets of Rochdale this month for year-long trialPublished: 18 March 2021

Lime was selected to run the trial by Rochdale Council in the hope it would cut down short car journeys, improve air quality and act as a ‘stepping stone’ for would-be cyclists.

With a top-speed of 12mph, the scooters could only be hired by those over the age of 18 with a full or provisional driving licence, via a special app.

Lime said the scheme was a “great success” with 12,000 trips being made by 3,000 over the trial period.

However, Rochdale Borough Council says it will not be extending the trial, which had an option to extend for a further six months.

In the last year, several scooters had been pulled from the River Roch and the canal whilst concerns were raised over the dockless vehicles being ‘abandoned’ on pavements.

The National Federation of the Blind of the UK last year said the dockless scooters could be a trip hazard and pose a ‘serious safety risk’ to vulnerable pedestrians who cannot hear or see them when they are being ridden.

 

 

Read more: Concerns raised about E-scooter trialPublished: 14 June 2021
Charity supporting blind and deaf people calls for Rochdale’s e-scooter trial to be pausedPublished: 31 March 2021

Paul Moore, interim assistant director of economy, planning and development said: “The council took part in an e-scooter trial as we are keen to explore options around sustainable urban transport, particularly for short journeys.

“The trial with Lime was for 12 months with an option to extend for a further six months.

“The council has chosen not to extend the trial but will continue to work with the relevant parties to analyse the results and any lessons to be learned.”

Conor Chaplin, Public Policy at Lime UKI, said: “The 12-month e-scooter trial in Rochdale has been a great success both in introducing a sustainable new form of transport into the town and helping Lime, Rochdale Borough Council, and Transport for Greater Manchester to understand what a future Greater Manchester-wide e-scooter hire scheme may look like.

“Similar to several other e-scooter trials across the UK, the Rochdale trial was scheduled to conclude after 12 months. In that time, the trial has proved popular, with 12,000 trips made by 3,000 riders, covering a total distance of 20,000 km - equivalent to travelling around Rochdale 127 times - and taking some 3,000 car journeys off the road.

“Lime will continue to collect and share data from the ongoing trial running in Salford until November 2022 with Rochdale and other Greater Manchester boroughs.”