Pedestrians are set to benefit from new safety measures after a multi-million-pound investment was secured across the capital.
It comes after e-bike operator Lime announced it would put £20million towards its new action plan to improve safety and infrastructure in London.
The investment comes as Lime reports a significant surge in usage, with over 16 million London commutes made using their services last year and an 85 per cent annual increase in total e-bike journeys.
The plan represents the company’s largest ever investment in parking improvements and safety measures in London and aims to create clearer streets and safer cycling conditions throughout the city.
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A key component of the plan is a £5million investment in parking infrastructure across London which will be used to establish at least 2,500 new dedicated e-bike parking spaces.
The new parking spaces aim to address concerns by local boroughs and residents about e-bike storage and organisation.
The company will also increase its on-street team by 60 per cent which will be tasked with collecting, tidying and moving e-bikes throughout London. Meanwhile the company will introduce AI-powered end-trip photo reviews to prevent poor parking in real time.
This technology will help ensure e-bikes are properly parked and do not obstruct pedestrian areas. In addition, Lime has committed £250,000 to fund a safe riding campaign aimed at promoting good behaviour among cyclists.
Wayne Ting, Lime CEO, said: “Since we launched in 2018, London has embraced Lime’s e-bikes. While demand has surged, infrastructure and our ability to ensure riders always have somewhere to park safely and considerately has not kept pace, leading to parking challenges across our industry.
“This plan brings together crucial changes across our business that will help improve our service so that all Londoners can get around the city easily and safely.”
The investment by Lime comes in the same week as Labour MP Marsha De Cordova introduced a new bill in the House of Commons addressing pavement parking concerns, including issues with abandoned rental e-bikes and e-scooters.
Speaking in Parliament, De Cordova warned that pavement parking can be “especially dangerous” for wheelchair users, people with pushchairs, and cyclists who may be forced onto roads with traffic.
She called for urgent action to enforce against “obstructive” parking across the UK, noting that one in five cyclists have reported injuries due to damaged pavement surfaces.
Guide Dogs and other leading charities have joined calls for action on pavement parking of e-bikes and other vehicles with nearly 28,000 people writing to party leaders demanding change.
Guide dog owner Kimberley Heal said: “I don’t encounter much pavement parking in London due to the existing laws here. But when I visit family elsewhere it is a different story. People park everywhere, and don’t leave enough space for me, my guide dog and my young son to pass.”
Eleanor Briggs, head of policy at the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, said the message from the public and local councillors “is clear.”
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She added: “We applaud the continued rollout of Scotland’s law on pavement parking, which is a huge help for people with sight loss, who are often discouraged from getting out and about by the fear of badly parked vehicles.”
