Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched a 12-month e-scooter trial starting in Salford.
The e-scooters, provided by Lime, will be deployed across the city with 300 available as part of the trial across Manchester. Lime is working in partnership with TfGM, Salford City Council and the University of Salford.
Lime e-scooters are currently available to any member of the public across the University of Salford Peel Park and Frederick Road campus, and from November 13 will be available to travel between the campus and MediaCityUK.
From January 2021, the scheme will expand to cover the majority of the Salford city zone including Salford Quays, Ordsall and Chapel Street, taking advantage of recent investment in cycling infrastructure across the borough.
Nicola Kane, head of strategic planning, research and innovation at TfGM, said: “We know people want to use e-scooters to get about and they can be a stepping stone to encouraging them to use cars less for local journeys – reducing congestion, improving connectivity with public transport hubs and making our air cleaner.”
The scheme is already offering students and university staff an alternative transport method across campus and to MediaCityUK, and from January will offer enhanced first and last mile connectivity to transport hubs in Salford.
Lime e-scooters can be ridden on roads, cycle lanes and shared-use cycle paths, and users will be required to park in designated parking zones.
Real-time geofencing technology will prevent e-scooters from being used outside of the trial zone, as well as enabling automatic speed limits to be implemented – the trial zone will have a limit of 12mph, dropping to 6mph in designated slow-speed zones.
Lime will also be implementing new pavement detection technology, that will track each ride and notify users if they have been detected using the scooter on a pavement.
Repeat offenders will be suspended or banned from the service, while users will also be reminded that the use of privately owned e-scooters in public is illegal.
Lime will also help new riders get to grips with e-scooters through a series of ‘first ride academies’ that teach users how to scoot and park safely and responsibly.
Lime is working with Greater Manchester Police, TfGM and Salford City Council to monitor the scheme’s operation and take quick action to deal with any potential issues, as well as ensuring the appropriate number of e-scooters are available to meet demand and not over-supply the area.
E-scooters will be available via the Lime app and cost £1 to unlock and 15p per minute thereafter. Students and those on low incomes can receive discounted rates through ‘Lime Access’ and key workers can also get free rides. Day passes are also available for £11.99, and an unlimited monthly pass for £8.99.
Riders must be over 18 years-old and have a full or provisional driving license, which is validated through the app. Wearing helmets is “strongly recommended” but not mandatory and users are being asked to sanitise their hands before and after use.
