Auckland Council has selected two existing operators to receive new licences to operate rental micromobility businesses in Auckland.
Seven licence applications were received for a combination of e-scooter and e-bike licences. Two operators have been offered licences. The successful operators are Beam and Lime.
Auckland Council’s Acting Manager Licensing and Environmental Health Veronica Lee-Thompson says the applications received were high quality with a strong focus on influencing user behaviour, reducing nuisance and improving safety outcomes.
“We saw a really exciting range of initiatives offered across the applications, with new innovations in parking technology and pedestrian and rider safety,” says Veronica.
Rental Micromobility Code of Practice
The new licences will be issued to the successful operators to start 4 November 2022.
“Since rental micromobility first launched in Auckland we have continued to improve our Code of Practice by strengthening our requirements around safety and influencing user behaviour.
“We’ve combined the rental e-scooter and e-bike codes into a new Rental Micromobility Code of Practice, to better manage operator compliance.
“Throughout the current licensing period we have identified opportunities for improvement around e-scooter and e-bike parking.
“We’ve incorporated this need into the new Code of Practice and our deployment requirements, and we’re currently exploring further options by undertaking a designated parking trial in and around the Britomart area.”
E-scooter fleet to change in the city centre
The current e-scooter allocation in the city centre is 330 per operator with three operators. From 4 November it will be 450 per operator but with only two operators. This will allow us to have a closer, more productive relationship with operators and will make for easier improvements to parking and compliance.
Unsuccessful applications
The unsuccessful applicant that is currently licensed to operate in Auckland will be required to deactivate their e-scooters by midnight on Thursday 3 November and have all devices off the streets by Friday 18 November.
Assessment of applications
Applications were assessed against the requirements of the Public Trading, Events and Filming Bylaw 2022 and Auckland Transport’s Activities in the Road Corridor Bylaw 2022, and were considered to ensure that the applicants could demonstrate the ability to comply with the Rental Micromobility Code of Practice (version 1) and the Trading and Events in Public Places Guidelines 2015.
Find out more
Visit the council’s micromobility web page to find out more about rental e-scooters and e-bikes in Auckland and applying for a licence.
