E-scooter operator Lime out of Adelaide’s CBD as two new companies start on Monday

Yellow and purple electric scooters descend on the CBD today, to replace current operator Lime — which was forced to take its 500-strong fleet off the streets.

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Yellow and purple electric scooters descend on the CBD on Monday, to replace current operator Lime — which was forced to take its 500-strong fleet off the streets.

However, commuters might not be able to catch a ride, because the two new companies, RIDE and Beam, are gradually rolling out their e-scooters.

RIDE said there would be about 50 of its yellow scooters on the road by Tuesday, while Singaporean company Beam did not answer questions about the size of its fleet, saying only that it would be based on demand.

Lime regional operations manager Jeff Roberts said he was disappointed the company could not keep its scooters on Adelaide’s streets.

“The real disappointment is to our local Juicer network (drivers who recharge the scooters) who will lose out of the economic opportunity Lime brought to Adelaide, and also the riders who depend on our service to move about the city in a convenient and accessible way,” he said.

“Lime will continue to explore other opportunities in the area and further our conversations with other councils in the Adelaide region.”

Lime’s regional operations manager Jeff Roberts with scooters and helmets at the warehouse on their final day of operation on Sunday. Picture: AAP / Morgan Sette

Lime missed out on securing one of two permits to operate in the CBD for the next six months. Adelaide City Council told Lime, which operates in 130 markets around the world, that it had to calibrate its scooters so they would stop at the “geo-fenced” CBD boundary, which the company said could pose a “public safety issue” if the scooters were programmed to stop abruptly.

Beam and RIDE were granted permission to each bring up to 500 scooters to Adelaide.

Lime asked for an independent review of the expression-of-interest process, which ACC chief executive Mark Goldstone ruled out.

RIDE chief executive Tom Cooper, a South Australian, said it was a “huge achievement” for his start-up company. It would have about 50 e-scooters on the road tomorrow.

“We will be scaling up during the week. By the end of the month we will have 250-plus (scooters),” he said.

Lime Scooter staff Tim Kelly, Ali Bayati, Zak Bishop and Jeff Roberts outside the Lime warehouse on Sunday. Picture: AAP / Morgan Sette

“We have provided a truly Adelaide-focused model, through our partnerships with EcoCaddy, bringing a world-first carbon neutral collection and the potential with RedArc to design and develop a world-class battery using new technologies.”

RIDE will donate 25 cents for every helmet returned, up to a maximum of $125 a day, so riders “respect helmets for the good of others”.

Beam head of public affairs Brad Kitschke said its fleet would be based on demand.

“We outlined a progressive deployment of our fleet over several weeks and we intend to grow appropriately and meet the needs of the people of Adelaide,” Mr Kitschke said.