Christchurch to get e-bikes as Lime signs deal with council

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A greener option is here for Christchurch cyclists wanting to explore the city.

Lime, the company that introduced e-scooters to New Zealand's streets, has snagged a contract with the Christchurch City Council to launch a fleet of e-bikes in the city.

Councillor Mike Davidson said the eco-friendly transport will reduce congestion in the city.

"Giving Lime a permit to operate its shared e-bikes here on a trial basis gives us a chance to assess how such a service might fit into our transport network in the long-term.

"E-bikes are soaring in popularity worldwide. They are an environmentally-friendly form of transport that could help us reduce congestion on our roads and lower carbon emissions, so it is a travel option we want to investigate thoroughly."

He expects cyclists covering more kilometres or exploring the hills to hop in the saddle.

A fleet of 100 bikes will be available to hire next week.

Lime's New Zealand public affairs manager Lauren Mentjox said the company is excited to be able to bring its shared e-bike service to Christchurch.

"Christchurch people really embraced e-scooters and we are hoping they will be equally keen to make use of e-bikes. With both e-scooters and e-bikes available for hire around the city, it will be really easy for people to move around and get to the places that they want to go.''

E-bike users will need to comply with the usual road rules for biking and users will need to park out of the main thoroughfares on footpaths, as with e-scooters.

The e-bikes will be available for hire on both the Lime and Uber apps.