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Lime bikes – they really are everywhere in London. Whether they’re lying thrown on the curb or docked neatly in a row (it happens, apparently), Limes are easy to spot for their vibrant shade of, well, lime.
Whether you’re an avid Lime bike user or think they’re a click-clacking nuisance, the bikes’ popularity is undeniable – and soon, we Londoners will be seeing a whole lot more of them. Lime has announced that it’ll be embarking on a massive £25 million e-bike expansion across London.
Lime bikes are currently accessible in sixteen of London’s thirty-two boroughs, and availability is often dependent on in-app, designated parking areas. Lime reckons that ninety-seven percent of Londoners are within two minutes of a Lime at all times.
Not much is currently known about the specifics of Lime’s expansion, but the company has confirmed that it’ll pledge £1 million for 10,000 additional parking spaces for e-bikes and scooters. Lime has been accused of skirting its responsibilities when it comes to establishing parking areas for its bikes, which are often abandoned by the wayside and left as hurdles for early-morning runners.
Lime is doubling down on its services in London following a ban on e-scooters in Paris. Due to safety concerns, Paris voted to curb all electric scooters in the city in referendum last year.
The brand’s expansion plans also include extending its reach to three additional London boroughs (the exact ones are yet to be announced) as well as open a new warehouse in north London to store and repair bikes. Expansion in the UK capital is part of Lime’s global initiative to add more than 30,000 new bikes to its fleet this year.
Exactly how many new or repaired e-bikes will be allocated to London remains to be seen, but it’s safe to say Lime has big plans for our city. So why not take out a Lime and check out one of Time Out’s best bike rides in and around London?
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