Salford launches e-scooter trial
Micromobility firm Lime is to run a pilot with Transport for Greater Manchester and the University of Salford to provide electric scooters at the Peel Park and Frederick Road campuses.
Under the plans, the 12-month trial will eventually be expanded to connect the university campus to MediaCityUK and then to Ordsall and Salford city centre, to improve accessibility for students.
Lime’s Salford trial is its third UK pilot following London and Milton Keynes, but the company is more established elsewhere in Europe, such as in Germany, which boasts the scooters in 14 cities.
The UK Government decriminalised the use of electric scooters in July and fast-tracked UK trials of the technology as part of its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Overall, Lime operates e-scooters in 125 locations around the world, mainly in the US.
Its e-scooters can be accessed through the Lime app. In order to use one of the scooters, riders scan the QR code on the handlebars to begin a ride.
Each scooter costs £1 to unlock and 15p per minute to ride. When a ride is complete, users must park the scooter in designated parking locations and take a photo to confirm the end of the ride.
Nicola Kane, head of strategic planning at TfGM, said: “E-scooters have been hugely successful in many other countries around the world. We know people want to use them to get about and they can be a stepping stone to encouraging people to use cars less for local journeys.
Mike Brown, director of strategic partnerships at the University of Salford, added: “We saw trialling e-scooters and researching ‘micromobility’ over short distances around and between campuses and local transport hubs as an opportunity we could not miss.
“I am sure our students will welcome the use of e-scooters and that it will help provide some enjoyment and excitement in the return to campus during these uncertain times.”
Florence Milner, Lime’s general manager for the UK and Ireland, said: “We are excited to work with innovative towns and cities such as Salford, offering the best and safest solution for residents to move around their city with zero impact on the environment.”
