A law firm representing injured cyclists says it is contacted by up to 10 people a month who have been hurt while riding Lime e-bikes in London. Osbornes Law reports that Lime has admitted liability in three cases and settled six others without admitting fault.
Injuries include broken legs, arms, ankles, dislocated shoulders and brain injuries. The firm currently supports nearly 20 clients, attributing accidents to faulty seats and brakes.
About 150,000 journeys are made daily on dockless e-bikes in London from Lime, Forest and Voi. Last month, The Standard reported serious cycling injuries in the capital could reach 1,200 a year, with almost a fifth involving hired e-bikes.
Sam Collard, head of cycling accident claims at Osbornes Law, said: “For over a year now there has been a regular stream of cyclists coming to us having suffered injuries on Lime bikes, some of them extremely serious and potentially life-changing. This constant flood of injured people shows there is a chronic problem.”
A Lime spokesperson said: “Safety informs everything we do at Lime. Given these are open legal matters, we cannot comment further at this time.” Lime added that more than 99.99% of journeys end without incident and its bikes undergo regular inspection.
Previous cases include Elliot Poole, 31, who fell when his seat detached, and William Radford, 27, who shattered his leg after crashing on a faulty Lime bike. Reports also describe “Lime bike leg” injuries when the 25kg bike falls on riders.
