FOIA
Case reference FOI2026/01141
Received 4 October 2026
Published 15 October 2026
Request
Please treat this as a request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 or, where relevant, the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I'm looking for information held by the council about the environmental impact of Lime e-bikes and/or e-scooters operating in the local area. Please could you provide: 1. Copies of any environmental impact assessment, sustainability assessment, carbon assessment, lifecycle assessment or similar analysis carried out or obtained by the council in relation to Lime's operation in the area. 2. Copies of any reports, studies, monitoring results or estimates held by the council covering: * the carbon emissions or savings associated with Lime's service; * journeys undertaken to deploy, collect, charge, maintain, rebalance or recover Lime vehicles; * the electricity or other energy used to charge the vehicles; * the expected lifespan, repair, reuse, recycling or disposal of the vehicles and their batteries; * waste and damaged or abandoned vehicles or batteries; * any comparisons between the environmental impact of Lime journeys and the forms of transport they replace. 3. Copies of any environmental data, analysis or supporting evidence provided to the council by Lime or another organisation. 4. Copies of any documents setting out environmental targets, reporting requirements or contractual obligations for Lime, along with any information showing how it has performed against them. 5. Copies of any council reports, briefings, meeting papers or decision documents discussing whether Lime's operation has produced, or is expected to produce, an overall environmental benefit. This request includes relevant information contained in agreements, procurement submissions, contract-management records and project evaluations. I'm only asking for information the council already holds, rather than asking it to carry out a new assessment or calculation. Please cover the period from when the council first considered allowing Lime to operate in the area to the date of this request. Please provide the information electronically. Where information is held in a spreadsheet or another reusable format, please provide it in that original format. If the council does not hold an environmental impact assessment or similar analysis, please could you confirm this. If it holds relevant information which has not been brought together into a formal assessment,
Response
Oxford City Council is not responsible for the management of Lime e-bike and e-scooter hire schemes in Oxford. These schemes fall under the responsibility of Oxfordshire County Council.
Following enquiries with the relevant service, we can confirm that Oxford City Council does not hold the environmental assessments, reports, monitoring data, contractual information or other records requested concerning these schemes.
Regulation 12(4)(a) – Information Not Held
We are therefore relying on Regulation 12(4)(a) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, which provides an exception where a public authority does not hold the requested environmental information.
You may wish to redirect your request to Oxfordshire County Council, which is responsible for these schemes.
Freedom of Information Team
Oxfordshire County Council
Email: foi@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Documents
This is Oxford City Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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