8 Years, No Decision: UK Kicks E-Scooter Legislation Down the Road
Minnesota Relaunches E-Bike Rebate Program, Raleigh Launches Dockless E-Bike Pilot, Cincinnati Extends Micromobility Restrictions, Wandsworth Offers 50% Micromobility Discount, and much more...
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What You Need to Know Today
This Week’s Pod: Fireside Chat with Stewart Lyons
Catch this candid fireside chat from Micromobility Europe 2025 in Brussels. Stewart Lyons, Co-CEO of Bird and Spin, sits down with James Gross, Co-Founder of Micromobility Industries, for a wide-ranging conversation on the past, present, and future of shared mobility.
Heads up! Our podcast has a new dock on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify. Make sure to resubscribe, so you don’t miss out. Stay Tuned!!!
Bixi Bikeshare Bike Trips Surge in Montréal
In Montréal, total shared bike trips on Bixi Bikeshare in 2024 reached 13.27m, marking a 129% increase compared to 2021, which saw only 5.8m trips. In 2025, the scheme is on course to surpass its 2024 peak, having completed 4.59m trips in the first 6 months, a 5% increase over the same period in 2024. Bixi Bikeshare operates about 12.6k bikes, including 3.2k e-bikes. Ahead of the 2025 season, 1.6k vehicles were added to the fleet. There are around 1k docking stations across Quebec.
UK E-Scooter Trials Extended Again
The UK government has extended e-scooter rental trials until May 2028, dragging out what was originally meant to be a 15-month experiment into an 8-year limbo. Operators like Voi and Lime welcomed the extension but warned that continued legal uncertainty is stifling investment and holding back public transport integration. Meanwhile, with an estimated 1 million illegal e-scooters already on the streets, the lack of legislation is creating confusion for cities, companies, and riders alike.
Beam Returns Brisbane via Neuron Merger
Beam Mobility, previously banned from operating in Brisbane, is making a comeback following its merger with Neuron Mobility. Starting the night of July 21, 700 refurbished former Beam e-scooters fitted with Neuron's proprietary technology and safety features will return to city streets. Beam was ousted last year after a council investigation revealed it had defrauded the Brisbane City Council by exceeding its 1.8k vehicle cap by around 500 daily, misreporting usage data over 250.k times, and underpaying more than $330k in fees.
Wandsworth Offers 50% Micromobility Discount
Wandsworth Council’s “Access for All” scheme now offers eligible residents 50% off rides on Lime and Forest e-bikes, and Lime and Voi e-scooters. Wandsworth recorded 6.8m e-bike trips between May 2024 and May 2025. To tackle micromobility clutter on sidewalks, Wandsworth Council has installed 170 dedicated on-street parking bays for e-bikes and scooters, established strict no-parking zones in town centres, and is planning to add more bays soon.
Dubai Bans E-Bikes and E-Scooters in Key Areas
Dubai has prohibited e-bike and e-scooter use in high traffic areas including Jumeirah, Al Barsha, and Al Qusais due to rising safety concerns. Violators face fines up to AED 300 and potential device confiscation. The ban follows increased accidents and complaints about reckless riding in residential zones. Permitted areas like Business Bay and Downtown Dubai remain accessible, but authorities are implementing stricter controls, such as app-based geofencing and ID checks.
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New York Mandates E-Bike Accident Reports
New York DMV now requires riders involved in e-bike or e-scooter accidents resulting in injury or death to file an official MV-104 crash report. Riders must also describe the incident in detail, including device specifics. The mandate extends even if only property damage occurs and it exceeds $1k. Failure to report may lead to driving privilege suspension.
Bolt Advocates E-Scooter Regulation in Prague
Bolt opposes Prague's proposed ban on shared e-scooters, arguing that smart regulation is needed to address parking and sidewalk riding issues. The company emphasized e-scooters’ importance in last-mile connectivity. Bolt asserts its existing tools (geofencing, smart parking zones, in-app speed controls) can address concerns if paired with city-enforced rules like sidewalk bans. It cites Berlin and Lisbon as successful regulatory models and supports a public petition opposing the ban, highlighting user demand for managed micromobility.
MME25: Panel - What Makes Micromobility Investment Different?
What’s happening with investment in micromobility in 2025? Is the funding winter thawing? How are hardware-heavy mobility startups navigating venture capital expectations?
Panelists:
Peter Vest – Investment & Portfolio Manager, EIT Urban Mobility
Gerard Vroomen – Co-Founder, FundRacer
Emilie Calmettes – CPO, Vapaus
Moderated by: Johan Høgåsen-Hallesby - Co-Founding Partner, Beta Mobility
Minnesota Relaunches E-Bike Rebate Program
Minnesota’s e-bike rebate program reopens July 30, offering 75% off qualifying purchases (up to $750) via a lottery system. Applications will be accepted over a 4-day window, eliminating previous year’s rush that crashed the portal. Rebates cover e-bike assembly, helmets, locks, and lights, with 2.8k rebates expected in 2025.
Raleigh Launches Dockless E-Bike Pilot
Raleigh is rolling out a dockless bikeshare pilot through April 2026, deploying 215 e-bikes from vendors Spin and Lime citywide at no cost to the city. The existing bikes and stations will be phased out starting in mid-August. In early 2026, the city will request new vendor proposals for a long-term program. Meanwhile, public feedback and ridership data will be considered in making this decision.
Cincinnati Extends Shared Micromobility Restrictions
Cincinnati city officials have extended restrictions on Red Bike and e-scooter rentals in Over-the-Rhine (OTR) and the Central Business District through the end of August. This was first introduced during the week of the Fourth of July. The restrictions now block rentals every Friday and Saturday night from 8 pm. to 6 am. The move aims to reduce crime, as police say bikes and scooters have been used to evade law enforcement.
Heartland Bike Share Pushes for Federal Backing
Omaha's nonprofit ROAM Share, operator of the Heartland Bike Share program, is lobbying federal lawmakers to classify bikes and scooters as transportation, enabling access to federal grants for expansion. The program has grown from 893 trips in 2011 to 88k in 2024, deploying 400+ e-bikes across docking stations from Downtown to Papillion. The service is integrated with public transit and promotes multimodal commutes.
Throwback Episode of Ride Review of Best eMTBs under $3,000
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