Micromobility operator Lime has announced the extension of its e-scooter trial with Salford City Council in partnership with the Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).
Lime suggests that the trial has been extended due the success of the e-scooter scheme in the area, which has reportedly seen positive feedback from local residents. According to Lime, it has seen 430,000 e-scooter rides in the city, 270,000 of which it says were made in the past year alone.
The extension of the pilot comes after the launch of the University of Salford’s Healthy Active Cities research, which intends to monitor the use of e-scooters in the Greater Manchester region.
Some 68% of respondents suggested there should be an e-scooter hire scheme in the area, with 59% reportedly saying the pilot could make the area a more attractive place to live.
What’s more, 67% of Lime users responding to the survey reported using an e-scooter in lieu of another transport mode, with almost half (49%) of riders reporting use of an e-scooter in lieu of a car.
The results of the survey also revealed that four out of 10 riders (38%) used e-scooters to connect with public transport options, with some resorting to e-scooter use when alternative modes were not available.
Lime claims that this study is the first and largest conducted on e-scooter usage to date in the UK, and included more than 2,400 survey responses, 49 one-on-one interviews and 13 focus groups.
Hal Stevenson, senior public affairs manager for Lime UKI, said: “We’ve really enjoyed working with Salford City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester.
“Residents have truly embraced e-scooters into their daily lives and this is a step in the direction as we look to take more cars off roads.
“E-scooters are becoming an integral part of Greater Manchester’s sustainable transport infrastructure more broadly too.
“As public confidence in the scheme continues to grow, we’re looking forward to continuing to develop Lime’s presence in the community.”
