Lime Technologies, the UK arm of the US-based micro-mobility firm, has reported a major financial boost as its popularity across English cities continues to climb. Annual profits for the company more than doubled to £4.7 million in 2025, rising from £1.7 million the previous year. Revenue also saw a significant increase, climbing by a third to reach £148 million. Love them or hate them, Lime ebikes are an increasingly common sight on England’s roads with new figures showing annual profits more than doubling thanks to a surge in riders. According to sales rose by a third to £148m in 2025 and profits more than doubled to £4.7m from £1.7m, as first, By the Sunday Times. Lime was founded in 2017 in San Francisco, California, and now operates in about 230 cities across 29 countries, mostly in Europe. However, there have been mounting concerns about safety for riders and pedestrians.
The company’s growth is reflected in its ridership figures, with the average number of monthly users jumping 31% to nearly 700,000. To support this demand, the firm expanded its fleet by more than 4,500 ebikes and scooters, bringing the total in operation to approximately 38,000. This expansion follows the company’s push into new markets, including Oxford in 2024 and Nottingham in 2023, joining established footprints in London, Salford, and Milton Keynes.
Despite the high volume of trade, the company’s internal structure remains relatively lean. Accounts filed at Companies House reveal that Lime employed just 54 people in 2025, up from 39 a year earlier. The operation relies heavily on self-employed contractors to handle the logistics of shifting and servicing the rental fleet. The firm is part-owned by the ride-hailing giant Uber, and its parent entity, Neutron Holdings, was valued at $1.7 billion upon listing on the Nasdaq last year.
The rise of dockless transport has significantly altered urban travel, with Transport for London estimating that one in 10 daily cycle journeys in the capital now occurs on such vehicles. While celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Timothée Chalamet have been associated with the trend, the rapid growth has drawn scrutiny regarding public space and safety. Critics, including charities representing blind and mobility-impaired residents, have frequently raised alarms about bicycles obstructing pavements.
Operational friction is also apparent, with a recent investigation revealing that London boroughs have impounded at least 3,000 ebikes this year alone, 2,000 of which belonged to Lime. The English devolution bill, passed this April, now empowers local authorities to set stricter requirements for licensing, parking, and safety standards.
Safety remains a focal point for the industry. Reports indicate that rented ebikes were involved in nearly a third of all cyclist-pedestrian collisions requiring police intervention. Users have also faced injuries, including fractures from the weight of the bikes, a complication nicknamed “Lime bike leg.” In response to safety criticism, Lime has introduced over 1,500 new models in England featuring a relocated battery design.
The company maintains that the vast majority of its service is safe, noting that more than 99.99% of its London trips in 2025 concluded without any reported incident. Looking ahead, CEO Wayne Ting has indicated that the company remains in active discussions with numerous other UK municipalities to expand its reach further.
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