Lime records one million eBike and eScooter journeys in West Midlands

After launching its service in several West Midlands cities on 1 April, Lime has recorded more than one million eBike and eScooter journeys.

According to its study, Lime stated that the vast majority (83%) of people using Lime in the West Midlands had never previously ridden a Lime bike in another city, suggesting the new service is introducing shared micromobility to a whole new group of people in the region.

Moreover, many riders have continued using the service after their first journey, with nearly half (45%) going on to take a second trip within a week of their first trip.

The busiest day so far was 26 June, followed by 27 June. The two days coincided with a late-June heatwave, with temperatures in Birmingham reaching around 33°C on 26 June. The weekend also saw a packed programme of regional activity, including Coventry Pride, live music and community events across the region.

Other notable peaks in Lime usage included the late-May bank holiday weekend and, more recently, 14 August. On that day, warm weather and disrupted train services encouraged more locals to use Lime, while major regional events, including the European Athletics Championships at Alexander Stadium and an EFL Championship Wolves home fixture against Blackburn Rovers, also contributed to increased demand.

One rider has even completed more than 530 trips to date, approximately 20 trips every week since the service launched five months ago.

“One million rides is a brilliant early milestone, but the more important story is what those journeys say about the role of shared transport in people’s lives,” said Tom Newham, Senior Manager of Public Affairs at Lime UK&I. “We are proud to be working with the West Midlands Combined Authority, Transport for West Midlands and local councils to make it easier for people to choose an affordable and sustainable way to make short journeys,” Newham added.

The milestone comes as Transport for West Midlands and its partners work towards the regional ambition for at least half of all trips to be made by active modes, including walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting, by 2030.

“This milestone shows there’s a huge appetite among residents and visitors for cleaner, greener and more convenient ways to travel. Getting more people to cycle is also helping us cut traffic congestion, clean up our air, and improve people’s health and fitness. And all at zero cost to the taxpayer,” said Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands.