Auckland Transport boss says Lime must prove e-scooters are safe by Friday

Wednesday, 20 February 2019

Auckland Transport chairman Lester Levy says Lime must prove its e-scooters are safe by Friday, or get them off Auckland's streets.

Speaking to Radio NZ, he said the Californian company's response to a fault that saw the wheels randomly lock up, throwing riders onto the road, was too slow.

'We cannot let cool trump safety,' he told RNZ.

'When you have equipment failure, I think the burden of proof should fall on the company.

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Levy said he had asked Auckland Transport chief executive Shane Ellison to look into the matter.

'If we don't get responses quickly, in my view they should take more severe action which could involve curtailing the trial.'

Levy told RNZ he had had 'serious safety concerns' about the scooters since their launch in Auckland in October.

His concerns were first about user behaviour – a man was seen riding an e-scooter over Auckland's Harbour Bridge, and another man later rode one into the Viaduct Harbour – before the wheel-locking fault was revealed.

Auckland Transport was reviewing Lime's licence to operate in Auckland and Levy had also met with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff over the issue, he told RNZ.

Levy also said he was considering an investigation into the role of lobbyists in introducing the e-scooters to Auckland.

RNZ said former Labour Party president Mike Williams had confirmed he had been paid by Lime to introduce its representatives to Auckland Transport staff and Transport Minister Phil Twyford.

Levy told RNZ he was 'quite uncomfortable' with many aspects of that situation.

Lime was introduced to Auckland and Christchurch in October and its Auckland trial has recently been extended until the end of March.

Upper and Lower Hutt got the e-scooters in mid-December and Dunedin welcomed the scooters in January.

The launch has not been without hiccups, including a fault that locks up the e-scooters' wheels at speed. 

People have also reported broken bones and head injuries after falling from Limes.

ACC has paid out $200,000 for e-scooter-related injuries in the past few months.

The Government was also looking at law changes that would impose a 10kmh speed limit for the e-scooters.