Lime has today announced it will be increasing its e-scooter fleet by 45% to help cater for growing demand in Greater Manchester as it reaches 1 million rides. To support the increased number of vehicles, Lime is working in partnership with Salford City Council and TfGM to understand additional areas and parking zones to expand operations across the district. This has been agreed in partnership with Salford Council as part of the DfT’s E-Scooter trials, with the aim of bringing even more residents access to shared, sustainable transport options in Greater Manchester. Since 2021, residents have now taken 1 million trips on Lime’s e-scooters in Salford, recording consistent growth each year as more people rely on the service for commuting, socialising and more. As part of Lime’s commitment to providing Salford’s residents with a service that prioritises safety for both riders and pedestrians, Lime has also fitted a number of its vehicles with its AI-enabled technology system, Lime Vision. The pilot aims to set a new foundation for safety innovation with the technology accurately detecting issues such as pavement riding in real time to better understand and prevent conflict with pedestrians and pavement users. The data collected will be shared with the Council and Transport for Greater Manchester to help inform the future of the service. Alice Pleasant, Public Affairs Manager at Lime said: “Since launching in Salford, e-scooters have been firmly integrated into local life, and Lime has become an important transport option for residents as they look to commute, see friends, or otherwise. We are always striving to motivate people to take the step away from cars, and are delighted to see such a positive reception to our e-scooters in the city. We hope through increasing our fleet size and expanding into Eccles, Lime can continue to provide affordable transport alternatives to even more people that share our streets.” Lime encourages the safe and responsible use of its vehicles. Its e-scooters in Salford must be picked up and dropped off in designated parking areas, with parking bays indicated by ‘P’ icons in the Lime app. Lime provides regular and ongoing in-app education on this, using GPS technology that ensures riders are unable to leave their vehicles outside of these areas. In celebration of the milestone, Lime is awarding a prize of a month of free rides to its millionth rider.
