Lime bikes to be banned in London borough for causing ‘havoc’ on roads

A London borough has formally warned Lime that all e-bikes must be removed from the area if their safety concerns are not addressed by the end of October.

Brent Council told operator Lime that all 750 dockless bikes must be gone by 31 October 2024 if requests for improved safety measures are ignored.

Issues in the area include “inconsiderately parked” and “abandoned” e-bikes, presenting problems for pedestrians on the pavement.

The west London borough has hosted Lime bikes since 2019 as part of its sustainable and active travel promotion.

However, it is now requesting the introduction of dedicated e-bike parking bays, in-borough resources to manage day-to-day operations and a commitment from Lime to give back to the local community.

Current Brent Council advice on cycle parking warns Lime bike users to “not block footways as this can make it difficult for other pedestrians, especially those with mobility problems, to get around”.

According to the council, dedicated parking bays in areas with high footfall and ‘no parking zones’ would support the Transport for London (TfL) e-mobility contract planned for 2026.

Brent has also requested that Lime increase the £10 penalty for cyclists who abandon their bikes incorrectly.

Lime parking rules outline that e-bikes should be left “neatly to the side of the pavement” or in a parking bay with both wheels inside the markings parallel to other vehicles.

According to recent research by Lime, 49 per cent of Londoners between the ages of 18 and 34 rent an e-bike at least once a week.

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said: “Lime bikes left scattered across our streets are causing havoc for other road users, especially for pedestrians and disabled people. Residents have gone sour on Lime, and the council is receiving repeated, regular complaints about the bikes left across paths and roads in a haphazard way.

“This is putting unsustainable pressure on council staff who are spending time cleaning up after Lime. Something needs to change as the current situation is unsustainable and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.”

The council said it is awaiting a response from Lime to the latest requests with its position before the pre-emptive 31 October e-bike removal date.

“To date, Lime has not satisfied our proposals, which we consider vital to ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the scheme in Brent.

“Unless Lime changes the way it works with us, we are out of road for its activities in Brent,” added Mr Butt.

Parking bay rules already apply in 10 London boroughs, including Westminster, Camden, Hackney and Hammersmith and Fulham, for the over 30,000 battery-powered bikes in the capital.

Last year, Hammersmith and Fulham council seized over 100 bikes after complaints from residents soured relations between Lime and the local authority.

A spokesperson for Lime said that the company want to work with the council to address the safety concerns.

“We are proud to have worked with our partner councils over the last six years to build a safe and reliable shared e-bike service across London. Local residents in Brent and across the capital use our bikes for essential journeys every day, with 11.5 million commuting trips already taken this year.

“We recognise that a small proportion of e-bikes are obstructing pavements and busy junctions, creating difficulties for those with access needs, and we understand the importance of keeping our pavements safe for all,” Lime told The Independent.

The bike hire giant said that as Brent Council currently has just 10 pilot e-bike parking locations, it is “not possible to enforce mandatory parking rules”.

According to Lime, the council aims to install 100 locations across the borough over an unconfirmed time frame – 2.3 parking locations per kilometre squared.

However, Transport consultancy Steer and think tank Centre for London recommend a target density of 25 locations per kilometre squared to run a “convenient and well managed” parking service.

The spokesperson added: “To enforce mandatory parking rules in Brent, we first need the Council to build a functional network of parking locations. We can provide data and funding to support this process and regularly gather feedback from Sight Loss Councils and other charities on our Disability Advisory Board to continuously improve our operations.

“We want to work with the Council to address these concerns. Banning bikes doesn’t help anyone as we work towards our ambitious active travel and climate goals.”

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