Over 100 electric bikes have been removed from across London after blocking up the pavements with operators charged hefty penalties.
The City of London Corporation revealed that it removed more than 100 hire e-bikes from its streets and pavements because they were obstructing or posing an immediate danger to others.
The e-bikes were confiscated during a two-week enforcement operation which looked to encourage hire operators to manage the number of e-bikes being left irresponsibly on pavements.
The seized e-bikes are stored in a safe location for 24 hours, with bike operators charged a whopping £235 per bike to retrieve them from the authority.
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Operators were charged £235 per e-bike to have them released back on London roads
PA
The seizures followed numerouscomplaints about e-bikes being left on pavements and not in designated parking bays.
In response, the City of London pledged to add an extra 300 parking spaces for hire bikes across the Square Mile to help riders park safely and considerately.
Lime and Forest, the main operators in London, have both committed to improving their service, with the former launching a safe riding campaign to promote responsible cycling and adherence to the Highway Code.
The £20million campaign features a portion of the funds being used towards helping the Mayor of London roll out 40,000 new e-bike parking locations.
Chair of the City of London Corporation’s Planning and Transportation Committee, Shravan Joshi, said: “I recently met with the CEO of Lime, along with their CFO and UK Director which provided an opportunity to ensure their global senior leadership fully understands the impact.
“Lime has seen remarkable success and with 16 million journeys taken (including by me!) During London’s commuting hours in 2024, their presence on the streets is undeniable, but so too are the challenges posed by bikes cluttering our pavements.”
He noted that the action plan from Lime is welcome news to help remove the number of dockless bikes on London’s streets which can cause blockage for vulnerable users of the pavement.
Alongside the commitment by Lime, the London authority said it will “keep up the pressure to make sure results are quantified and meaningful, alongside Transport for London and London councils”.
Lime CEO Wayne Ting explained that since the e-bikeoperator launched in 2018, demand has surged across the capital.
He added: “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.”
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. The company will introduce AI-powered end-trip photo reviews to prevent poor parking.
“This £20million 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,” Ting shared.
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E-bikes have been blamed for taking up huge portions of the pavement
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The new parking spaces also aim to address concerns by local boroughs and residents about e-bike storage and organisation.
The London Cycling Campaign’s Chief Executive, Tom Fyans, added: “Lime bikes are changing the face of cycling in London, bringing joy to a huge and diverse audience new to cycling in London. Lime is helping ensure new riders cycle and park more responsibly.”
