London Councils Urges E-Bike Firms to ‘Act Responsibly’ as Tensions Over Parking and Safety Intensify

London Councils has issued a renewed warning to e-bike rental companies, urging them to honour local agreements and improve operational standards amid escalating tensions with boroughs over unsafe parking and compliance issues.

The body — representing London’s 32 boroughs and the City of London — said that several operators continue to run services in areas without formal contracts, contributing to widespread problems with bikes left strewn across pavements and blocking walkways.

The issue has become so persistent that some councils have increased enforcement activity. Kensington and Chelsea, for example, has impounded around 1,000 bikes this year from major providers such as Lime, Forest, Voi and Bolt. The borough has collected more than £81,000 in penalties as part of its campaign to address pavement clutter.

Residents have made hundreds of complaints about bikes obstructing footpaths and roads, creating hazards for wheelchair users, parents with prams and visually impaired people. Council officers now patrol busy locations like Knightsbridge and the area around Harrods, removing bikes left in unsafe or unstable positions.

Operators must pay to reclaim seized bikes, with all funds reinvested in further enforcement.Councillor Johnny Thalassites said:“Residents are fed up with rental e-bikes blocking pavements and roads. We had to take firm action, and seizing 1,000 dangerously parked bikes is making a difference.”

Boroughs demand consistent rules

London Councils said the forthcoming English devolution bill is expected to give boroughs and TfL new powers to introduce a unified licensing system. Currently, each borough negotiates its own contracts, resulting in inconsistent regulations and enforcement standards across London.

Mayor Brenda Dacres OBE, London Councils’ executive member for transport and environment, said operators must work within local rules:“Londoners rightly expect e-bikes to be safe, well-managed and available on fair terms wherever they live. Boroughs support active travel, but it must go hand in hand with accountability.”

Most borough contracts require operators to ensure bikes are parked only in designated bays and collected quickly if abandoned. Some councils have negotiated low-cost fares — for example, Hackney has secured rides from £1.75, matching the cost of a TfL bus journey.

However, uneven enforcement has prompted concerns that some companies have been “flooding” bays with their own bikes or moving competitors’ vehicles outside approved areas to trigger fines. A Kensington and Chelsea transport officer recently commented that some firms were unloading bikes “well beyond the bays’ capacity,” causing conflict between rival operators.

Operators outline improvements

Operators say they are investing heavily in processes and technology to improve parking standards.

A spokesperson for Bolt said the company supports borough efforts to enforce responsible parking. They explained that riders can only end trips in designated bays with available capacity, and that the firm restricts the number of bikes permitted in each bay. Bolt also shares real-time fleet information with local authorities.

Lime also defended its record, noting that it holds more operating licences than any other shared e-bike provider in London, now working with over half the capital’s boroughs.The company said its recent expansion into Merton and its contract renewal in Hackney demonstrate its commitment to “responsible and collaborative” operations.

Lime said it has contributed funding for more than 3,400 parking bays, a 47% increase this year, and has reduced customer complaints by almost two-thirds.

The firm acknowledged recent tensions with some boroughs — including losing its contract in Hounslow earlier this year — and argued that awarding tenders based solely on commercial bids can incentivise overpromising. According to Lime, some replacement operators deployed only half of their proposed fleet and raised fares soon after launching.

The company said it continues sharing live operational data with boroughs and supports clear, objective tender criteria to prevent aggressive “land-grab” bidding strategies.

Councils push for stronger national powers

Local authorities say updated national legislation cannot arrive soon enough. Existing rules give limited tools for enforcement, often leaving boroughs to fall back on the Highways Act to remove obstructive bikes.

A unified licensing framework, they argue, would close loopholes and ensure consistent city-wide standards for safety, parking compliance and fleet management.

London Councils emphasised that e-bikes remain important for cutting emissions and reducing congestion, but warned that rapid, unregulated growth could erode public confidence.