Lime says 15 staff affected by 'seasonal pause' in the Hutt

Local MP Chris Bishop celebrated Lime's arrival in the Hutt as "Brilliant." Photo / @CJBishop

Lime has pulled e-scooters from Lower Hutt for a "seasonal" pause.

There's no set date for a return. Around 15 staff have been hit by the suspension.

The US company had 300 scooters on streets in the Hutt, with around 52,000 riders clocking more than 225,000 trips since it launched in the area in December.

A spokeswoman for Lime said, "We will be temporarily pausing operations in the Hutt Valley over the winter. Seasonality is a normal part of the e-scooter industry and we intend to resume our premium service later in the year.

Lime will keep its scooters on streets in the snowy south, however.

"Operations in Christchurch, Auckland and Dunedin will continue as usual," the spokeswoman said.

She noted Lime had used a "seasonal" pause in a number of markets overseas, including the US cities of Detroit, Michigan and Spokane, Washington.

Lime's decision to suspend operations in Lower Hutt comes shortly after it was snubbed for Wellington's e-scooter trial, where newcomers Jump by Uber and Flamingo will face off.

In April, Lime told the Herald it had the following regional staff breakdown:

• Auckland: 58 staff including 30 mechanics
• Wellington: 20 staff - 10 mechanics in Hutt Valley
• Christchurch: 30 staff - 16 mechanics
• Dunedin: 22 staff - 11 mechanics
• 483 juicers nationwide

A spokeswoman said this morning about Wellington staff, "There are about 15 staff affected and we have offered them roles in our other markets."

The removal of Limes from Hutt streets will be a blow to local MP Chris Bishop, who earlier celebrated the scooters' arrival as "brilliant."

They’ve arrived. pic.twitter.com/oBHBFSv7xZ

— Christopher Bishop (@cjsbishop) December 13, 2018