Lime e-scooters return to Auckland, Dunedin

Lime electric scooters are back on Auckland and Dunedin streets.

A safety issue around some scooters’ brakes locking up and sending riders flying led to Lime’s licence suspension in Auckland from February 22, the company voluntarily recalling them in Dunedin.

The temporary ban was lifted by the Auckland Council and Auckland Transport (AT) on March 1 after Lime assured the two agencies a firmware update had fixed the glitch and further information was provided.

Extra conditions were imposed on Lime, including notifying the council and AT within 24 hours of any significant injuries related to the e-scooters, informing them of any safety issues here and overseas within 48 hours, and requiring weekly mechanical inspections.

Lime expected its electric scooters to be operating again in Auckland and Dunedin on March 7.

It says the glitch has caused 155 “irregular braking incidents” across New Zealand, resulting in 30 injuries – 19 in Auckland.

The problem affected 0.0086% of all Lime trips in New Zealand, the company says.