Lime to introduce new electric hire scooters that don't tip over when not in use in Milton Keynes

Lime has announced a £1m investment in the city that will go towards paying for a new updated model of e-scooters for people to hire.

The Gen4 e-scooters have a two-sided to stop them from tipping over when parked. And this will reduce “clutter” on pavements and redways, say Lime.

The new model also features more comfortable swept handlebars, dual handbrakes to make slowing and stopping easier, enhanced suspension and larger wheels.

A lowered baseboard will optimise the centre of gravity on the scooter, improving stability and making getting on and off easier.

Lime, which is also re-launching its e-bike scheme in Milton Keynes later this year, is the world’s largest shared electric vehicle company and recently reached the milestone of 500,000 rides in the city..

Alongside the launch of the new e-scooter model, the investment includes locally employed policy and operational staff, funding and promotional campaigns like Lime to the Polls which recently gave riders free rides to and from local election polling stations.

Lime has also partnered with the FareShare charity to help tackle food waste and distribute food to charities and provide meals to vulnerable people. Lime riders in Milton Keynes can round up the cost of their rides to the nearest £1 and donate the difference to Fareshare using Lime Hero, within the Lime app.

Conor Chaplin, from public policy at Lime, said: “This level of investment demonstrates our commitment to the city of Milton Keynes and has been made possible by the thousands of Milton Keynes residents who have embraced micromobility with Lime, and a council committed to creating a greener transport network.

"Milton Keynes has long been a national leader in adopting innovative new transport services, and we’re excited to cement this reputation further by launching our latest innovation - the Gen4 scooter. The Gen4 provides an improved rider experience and with Lime e-bikes turning to Milton Keynes this summer will strengthen the role Lime plays in offering affordable, reliable, and sustainable travel alternatives across Milton Keynes.”

The Gen4 also boasts a GPS-tracked secure, swappable battery, further reducing the carbon emissions of e-scooter riding.