Launched in Liverpool in 2019, Busby is an app that alerts emergency contacts if you are involved in a bike accident and is now teaming up with leading e-scooter brand Bird. Tony McDonough reports

A Liverpool business that has produced a lifesaving app is teaming with global e-scooter brand Bird to offer free subscriptions.

Busby, launched in November 2019 by Liverpool-born friends Barry Green, James Duffy and Kirk Ryan, aims to make solo bike riding safer, as well as supporting enthusiasts from other sports and activities.

Its app works with the sensors in your phone. If a user is involved in an incident the app will begin a 30-second countdown to move or respond. If there is no movement or response their exact location is sent to emergency contacts so help can arrive quickly.

In order to prevent incidents, Busby also alerts other nearby road users that a micro-EV rider is nearby to raise awareness. In only a year of operation, Busby’s app has been downloaded by tens of thousands of people in more than 85 countries.

Bird, the global e-scooter brand, promotes the reduction of car trips and thus improving air quality by deploying fleets of micro-EV’s for short trips. Currently operating in 160 cities worldwide, they have now expanded to the UK.

The collaboration between the two will see Bird riders get a free premium Busby subscription which provides users with additional safety on the roads such as incident detection, incident prevention, near-miss reporting and an SOS Busby flare feature if a rider needs medical or mechanical support.

Kirk Ryan, co-founder of Busby, said: “Every year there are tens of thousands of incidents involving cyclists on the UK’s roads. As electric scooters become more prevalent in the UK we want people to be as safe as possible when riding.

“We’re really excited about partnering with Bird – the pioneers of the shared electric scooter industry – to help make their riders and the roads safer for everyone.”

Busby is available to download for free on iOS and Google Play. Charlotte Bailey, general manager of Bird UK, added: “The safety of our riders and other road users is our top priority.

“While studies show riding an electric scooter in cities is just as safe as riding a bike, we want to go above and beyond. We’re thrilled to collaborate with Busby and to give our riders great perks for staying safe while on the road.”