Lime bikes to be banned in London borough - with rival companies handed rental e-bike firm's contract

Daily Mail​

5 hours ago

A west London borough is set to ban Lime bikes following complaints of 'anti-social' parking on pavements and hand over contracts to a rival e-bike rental firm instead
Hounslow Council terminated its two-year agreement with Lime due to riders blocking pavements and the high price.
It comes as a victory to competing e-bike companies Forest and Voi who have both been given contracts to set up their bikes in the borough instead.
Lime have the monopoly on e-bikes across London, owning most of the estimated 30,000 in the city.
Companies submitted their bids for the highly-desirable contracts during a competitive procurement process.
A council spokesperson said the decision was 'shaped by widespread community feedback' which found residents wanted 'stronger parking compliance, faster response times to resident concerns, and more tailored and affordable pricing'.
A spokesperson for Lime told The Telegraph: 'Despite acknowledging the quality of our service was higher in our bid, Hounslow council selected another provider because it offered them more money.
'This is a really disappointing outcome for the thousands of Hounslow residents that rely on our bikes daily to connect to other areas of London.'
The City of London seized more than 100 e-bikes in February amid a clampdown on pavement parking and dangerously dumped e-bikes.
James Bolton, Voi's UK general manager, said: 'We're delighted to win this contract and extend our London e-bike pilot to Hounslow.
'We will work responsibly and closely with the council to ensure our scheme works for everyone in the borough, stretching from Bedfont Lakes Country Park in the west to Chiswick House Gardens in the east.
A Forest spokesperson said: 'The Hounslow tender was a highly competitive process and we're delighted our bid stood out.'
Lime bikes have become a nuisance for people who find them stacked up outside their homes, blocking walkways or abandoned in the road.
Charities including the Sight Loss Council and the National Federation of the Blind of the UK have repeatedly warned councils about the bikes posing a trip hazard or unnecessary obstacles for blind people.
Last month actor Robert Powell, 81, revealed he 'sent 570 photographs' to Camden Council showing the bikes taking over his doorstep.
The Bafta-nominated actor urged the council to take action, saying that he and his wife, Barbara Lord, once counted at least 100 bikes in a parking bay in front of their Highgate home.
'You've got two octogenarians here who are in danger of being killed,' Powell said.
'The entire pavement has been blocked by bikes. Camden say they prioritise safety and safer travel, so do they know that allowing bikes on pavements is not safe for anyone?
'Last year we called the police about the bikes, they just laughed.'
Riders can rent e-bikes on the street in London by picking them up with a mobile phone app, but they are often not required to put them in a designated area after use.
This has led to them blocking pavements across the capital - with councils receiving thousands of complaints and some even threatening to ban hire firms altogether.
Mr Powell admitted that he was 'terrified' of having a heart attack due to having to move 10 to 12 heavy bikes from the area each day.
He said his GP has even written a letter to the council explaining how stressful the situation is for him and his wife.
The spot is particularly busy as it is close to Hampstead Heath, the actor told the Camden New Journal.
Camden Council responded by saying it is working to relocate the bay and has marked out a new bay further up the road.
Last December, new powers to crack down on the scourge of e-bikes and e-scooters being dumped on pavements were hailed as the 'beginning of the end for the Wild West model'.
Enforcement has however, become increasingly complex, although the new powers mean Mayor Sadiq Khan will able to fine users and operators who dump their devices in dangerous locations.
It comes after Transport for London (TfL) warned rental e-bike operators could be fined as part of measures to tackle 'significant safety issues' around poor parking.
In September, Brent Council threatened that Lime would have to remove its e-bikes from the borough by October 31 for allegedly ignoring its safety concerns amid 'havoc' caused by the cycles.
But the council agreed to allow Lime to continue operating after the company addressed these concerns.
In Hammersmith and Fulham, more than 100 e-bikes were seized by the council in August last year after complaints from residents that they were blocking roads and pavements.
TfL revealed last November that rental e-bike operators could be fined as part of measures to fight back against poor parking in London.
It published a new 'enforcement policy' in response to widespread concerns about e-bikes blocking pavements and said it will take action over dockless e-bikes being left on its red route road network outside designated places, and on its land such as station forecourts and bus garages.
This brings e-bike regulations closer into line with those for rental e-scooters, which are already required to be parked in bays.
It added that responses may include warning letters, fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to operators, prosecutions and removal of vehicles.
FPNs would be £100 each, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.