Transport options  |  17 Sep 2021

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A new e-scooter operator will soon be visible on the streets of Christchurch as Neuron Mobility joins Lime in providing e-scooters and e-bikes for public hire.

Christchurch City Council has given Neuron Mobility a 12-month permit to operate up to 800 electric scooters and up to 200 electric bikes in Christchurch. The permit is for 12 months but there is an option for it to be extended for a further two years.

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Over the past year, Christchurch residents used rental e-scooters and e-bikes on more than 71,000 trips a month.

Shorter trips of under 2 kilometres accounted for nearly 75 per cent of e-scooter and 65 per cent of e-bike trips.

Lime, which was the first e-scooter company to set up in Christchurch, has also been given a permit to offer up to 800 e-scooters and up to 200 e-bikes for hire.

“The two existing permits are due to expire at the end of September so we went out to the market earlier this year seeking expressions of interest from companies keen to provide e-scooter and e-bike services in Christchurch,’’ says Council Transport Operations Manager Steffan Thomas.

“We received five strong proposals. After thoroughly evaluating all of them, we have awarded the permits to Lime and Neuron Mobility, both of whom have demonstrated a strong focus on safety and sustainability.

“Their e-bikes and e-scooters will be a useful addition to our transport network because they will make it easy for people to take short trips around the city and to connect to other transport modes for longer trips,’’ Mr Thomas says.

Lime is a major international operator with a presence in more than 200 cities around the world. Neuron Mobility is a significant Asia-Pacific operator with an established presence in 22 cities, including Auckland, Hamilton and Dunedin.

Neuron Mobility Chief Executive Zachary Wang says they are thrilled to be launching in Christchurch and look forward to partnering with the Council to deliver a safe and efficient service.

“Riders will be able to take advantage of our e-scooters and e-bikes for a safe, convenient and fun way to travel around Christchurch Central and surrounding areas,” Mr Wang says.

Hugo Burt-Morris, General Manager for Lime, Australia and New Zealand, says they are delighted to continue to offer their services in Christchurch.

“Local residents and visitors have positively embraced Lime since we started operating in the city in 2018, taking more than 2.4 million trips on our scooters and e-bikes. We would like to thank Christchurch City Council, riders and our community partners for their support,'' Mr Burt-Morris says.

The permits for Lime and Neuron Mobility will be effective from 1 October.