Lime e-scooters may be history after three-month trial if Auckland Council does not renew street trading licence

Lime e-scooters may not be around in a few months if Auckland Council decides not to renew the street trading licence the ride-sharing service is operating under.

Auckland Council has granted a three-month trial for Lime e-scooters, much the same as the trial for the OnzO bike sharing service.

"If the licence is extended, we will likely further amend the code of practice to ensure that the scooters are benefiting Aucklanders and visitors and that any issues caused are addressed," Auckland Council's manager of street trading Peter Knight said.

Knight said the council and Auckland Transport would review the system after the three-month trial and decide whether to extend the licence.

"The main differences between e-scooters and bikes are that e-scooters are classified as wheeled recreational devices under the Land Transport User Rule.

"Due to their wheel diameter, they can be used on the road, footpath, cycleways and shared paths," Knight said.

Lime released 600 and 400 dock-free scooters in Auckland and Christchurch earlier this month.

Today, a dentist warned of the danger of "smashed smiles" posed by Lime e-scooters endangering pedestrians and riders after treating a rider who was concussed after striking the pavement face-first.

Lumino City Dental at Quay Park dentist Dr Andrea Shepperson said the practice, based in Auckland's CBD, treated a patient on Thursday who, in a bid to avoid pedestrians, braked and lost control, hitting the pavement face-first.

Leave the Lime Scooters alone.

Posted by Gerry Brownlee on Saturday, 27 October 2018

"The patient suffered concussion, pushed a front tooth up into the gum and now faces extensive treatment."

It was the only Lime e-scooter-related injury the practice had treated but it was "inevitable" there would be more to come.

Just eight days after the scooters were launched in New Zealand, 14 riders had lodged ACC claims.

Nine of those claims had come from users in Auckland with the rest in Christchurch.

Former Minister of Transport Gerry Brownlee weighed in on the issue, defending the scooters in a video posted to his official Facebook page.

He wanted people to "leave the Lime scooters alone".

"Isn't it amazing how many bureaucrats have suddenly gone 'oh my goodness we have no rules for these things'," Brownlee said.

"There will be bureaucrats busily getting their pencils out to write some new rules. My advice, don't bother."

He said there was talk young people not being active enough and he could not believe how many smiles he saw from the mostly young riders.

"Let them get on with it and have their fun.

"Yes there will be accidents, but there will be just as many accidents for all of the rules we have out there that are supposed to be protecting us."

Another 500 electric scooters are set to come to Auckland city today, Newshub has reported.