Latest news with #HounslowCouncil
ITV News
9 hours ago
- Business
- ITV News
E-bike licensing means ‘every bridge is Checkpoint Charlie', comedian Dara O Briain says
A 'Checkpoint Charlie' situation has been created near London bridges by councils making contrasting decisions on licensing electric bikes, a comedian said. Irish stand-up Dara O Briain complained that e-bikes are 'stacking up' at river crossings between the boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond in the west of the capital. Lime, one of the rental companies involved, urged councils to collaborate so riders can 'travel seamlessly across boroughs' rather than face a 'patchwork of boundaries'. Hounslow has given permission for Forest and Voi's e-bikes to be used in its area, while Richmond has licensed rival company Lime. The latter said it has agreed to a request by Hounslow for its bikes' electric motors to cut out if riders enter the borough. This causes the bikes to become heavy to ride, resulting in many users ending their trips. The PA news agency saw about 30 bikes near the southern entrance to Chiswick Bridge on Monday night. Some were parked appropriately to the side of pavements, but others had been thrown in bushes or tipped over. O Briain, 53, likened the issue to the Checkpoint Charlie border crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote: 'Hounslow Council have banned Lime bikes, and licensed Forest and Voi; neighbouring Richmond has licensed Lime and banned the others. 'So every bridge is Checkpoint Charlie, with loads of Lime bikes parked on one side and loads of Forest and Voi on the other. Top work everyone!' Richard Dilks, chief executive of shared transport charity CoMoUK, said: 'This rather bizarre set of circumstances is an unfortunate outcome of the current situation in London, where regulation of bike sharing schemes is decided at borough level.' He said the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill going through Parliament could make Transport for London the capital's licensing authority for rental e-bikes, enabling a 'more coherent pan-London approach' to be designed. A spokesperson for Lime said the existing scenario is 'frustrating for riders'. She said: 'We've already been contacted by many of them who are disappointed at the new rules. 'They should not have to experience London as a patchwork of boundaries. 'We want to see councils work together so that residents can travel seamlessly across boroughs, without having to stop at borders.' Alex Berwin, head of policy at Forest, said the issue is 'exactly why we have been calling for a pan-London approach to regulation'. He went on: 'We need a single regulatory framework, one enforcement model and one operational rulebook across the capital, whilst ensuring services support the local needs of each borough.' A Voi spokesperson said its users are 'free to cycle across borough boundaries, but parking must be in designated bays within participating areas'. He added: 'We're working with local leaders and TfL towards a London-wide scheme to make cross-borough journeys simpler.' Hounslow Council and Richmond Council were approached for a comment.
The Independent
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
E-bike licensing means ‘every bridge is Checkpoint Charlie', comedian says
A 'Checkpoint Charlie' situation has been created near London bridges by councils making contrasting decisions on licensing electric bikes, a comedian said. Irish stand-up Dara O Briain complained that e-bikes are 'stacking up' at river crossings between the boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond in the west of the capital. Lime, one of the rental companies involved, urged councils to collaborate so riders can 'travel seamlessly across boroughs' rather than face a 'patchwork of boundaries'. Hounslow has given permission for Forest and Voi's e-bikes to be used in its area, while Richmond has licensed rival company Lime. The latter said it has agreed to a request by Hounslow for its bikes' electric motors to cut out if riders enter the borough. This causes the bikes to become heavy to ride, resulting in many users ending their trips. The PA news agency saw about 30 bikes near the southern entrance to Chiswick Bridge on Monday night. Some were parked appropriately to the side of pavements, but others had been thrown in bushes or tipped over. O Briain, 53, likened the issue to the Checkpoint Charlie border crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote: 'Hounslow Council have banned Lime bikes, and licensed Forest and Voi; neighbouring Richmond has licensed Lime and banned the others. 'So every bridge is Checkpoint Charlie, with loads of Lime bikes parked on one side and loads of Forest and Voi on the other. Top work everyone!' Richard Dilks, chief executive of shared transport charity CoMoUK, said: 'This rather bizarre set of circumstances is an unfortunate outcome of the current situation in London, where regulation of bike sharing schemes is decided at borough level.' He said the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill going through Parliament could make Transport for London the capital's licensing authority for rental e-bikes, enabling a 'more coherent pan-London approach' to be designed. A spokesperson for Lime said the existing scenario is 'frustrating for riders'. She said: 'We've already been contacted by many of them who are disappointed at the new rules. 'They should not have to experience London as a patchwork of boundaries. 'We want to see councils work together so that residents can travel seamlessly across boroughs, without having to stop at borders.' Alex Berwin, head of policy at Forest, said the issue is 'exactly why we have been calling for a pan-London approach to regulation'. He went on: 'We need a single regulatory framework, one enforcement model and one operational rulebook across the capital, whilst ensuring services support the local needs of each borough.' A Voi spokesperson said its users are 'free to cycle across borough boundaries, but parking must be in designated bays within participating areas'. He added: 'We're working with local leaders and TfL towards a London-wide scheme to make cross-borough journeys simpler.' Hounslow Council and Richmond Council were approached for a comment. Rental e-bike companies say they encourage people to switch from cars to a more sustainable form of travel, but there have been long-standing concerns about users blocking pavements with the bikes after they finish their rides.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
E-bike licensing means ‘every bridge is Checkpoint Charlie', comedian says
A 'Checkpoint Charlie' situation has been created near London bridges by councils making contrasting decisions on licensing electric bikes, a comedian said. Irish stand-up Dara O Briain complained that e-bikes are 'stacking up' at river crossings between the boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond in the west of the capital. Lime, one of the rental companies involved, urged councils to collaborate so riders can 'travel seamlessly across boroughs' rather than face a 'patchwork of boundaries'. Hounslow has given permission for Forest and Voi's e-bikes to be used in its area, while Richmond has licensed rival company Lime. The latter said it has agreed to a request by Hounslow for its bikes' electric motors to cut out if riders enter the borough. This causes the bikes to become heavy to ride, resulting in many users ending their trips. The PA news agency saw about 30 bikes near the southern entrance to Chiswick Bridge on Monday night. Some were parked appropriately to the side of pavements, but others had been thrown in bushes or tipped over. O Briain, 53, likened the issue to the Checkpoint Charlie border crossing point between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. In a post on social media platform X, he wrote: 'Hounslow Council have banned Lime bikes, and licensed Forest and Voi; neighbouring Richmond has licensed Lime and banned the others. 'So every bridge is Checkpoint Charlie, with loads of Lime bikes parked on one side and loads of Forest and Voi on the other. Top work everyone!' Richard Dilks, chief executive of shared transport charity CoMoUK, said: 'This rather bizarre set of circumstances is an unfortunate outcome of the current situation in London, where regulation of bike sharing schemes is decided at borough level.' He said the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill going through Parliament could make Transport for London the capital's licensing authority for rental e-bikes, enabling a 'more coherent pan-London approach' to be designed. A spokesperson for Lime said the existing scenario is 'frustrating for riders'. She said: 'We've already been contacted by many of them who are disappointed at the new rules. 'They should not have to experience London as a patchwork of boundaries. 'We want to see councils work together so that residents can travel seamlessly across boroughs, without having to stop at borders.' Alex Berwin, head of policy at Forest, said the issue is 'exactly why we have been calling for a pan-London approach to regulation'. He went on: 'We need a single regulatory framework, one enforcement model and one operational rulebook across the capital, whilst ensuring services support the local needs of each borough.' A Voi spokesperson said its users are 'free to cycle across borough boundaries, but parking must be in designated bays within participating areas'. He added: 'We're working with local leaders and TfL towards a London-wide scheme to make cross-borough journeys simpler.' Hounslow Council and Richmond Council were approached for a comment. Rental e-bike companies say they encourage people to switch from cars to a more sustainable form of travel, but there have been long-standing concerns about users blocking pavements with the bikes after they finish their rides.
BBC News
09-08-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Gillette Corner's famous Art Deco clock has been refurbished
The Gillette Clock Tower, one of most recognisable Art Deco structures in London, has been restored to working order after a successful restoration 150 ft (45m) structure is regarded as an important piece of the capital's industrial heritage, as part of the former American razor brand Gillette's factory in Brentford, west Council said the local landmark, which had fallen into disrepair, also played an important role during the Second World War, when it was used as a lookout point to spot enemy it has been renovated over seven months by a partnership between the council and record label The Vinyl Factory, leaseholder of the Gillette Building. The restoration required skilled clockmakers to work on the rare timepiece and some components had to be specially made from scratch to ensure historical accuracy, said the Grade II listed industrial building, including the tower, was designed by architect Sir Banister Flight Fletcher and constructed between 1936 and up at night, its Art Deco and modernist design features were visible from some distance away, and it became a landmark for those driving along the Great West Road, opened in 1925 and now part of the A4. The area known for centuries as Syon Hill or Syon Lane came to be referred to as Gillette Corner. The factory and corporate office complex was the American razor company's European headquarters from the end of the 1930s until 2006, when Gillette left the site as part of a relocation of its manufacturing to Eastern ended a 70-year association with the area, but the brand name former factory continues to dominate Gillette Corner at the western end of the Great West Road's manufacturing and office complexes – dubbed the Golden Mile and opened in 1925. The area is now undergoing a renaissance amid Brentford's Golden Mile Centenary (GM100) celebrations. GM100: A Century of the Golden Mile is a described as "a bold centenary programme marking this transformation - past, present and future - through exhibitions, public art, storytelling and collaboration". Leader of Hounslow Council Shantanu Rajawat said the restoration of the Clock Tower is "a powerful symbol of what the Golden Mile Centenary is all about, honouring our past, celebrating our identity, and looking confidently to the future." He added: "As one of west London's most iconic landmarks, the tower stands as a reminder of the area's rich industrial and wartime history, and a beacon of its ongoing transformation."Bringing the clock back to life speaks to the spirit of innovation and renewal that has defined the Golden Mile for the last 100 years and will continue to define it for the next 100."In March, Hounslow Council approved plans to turn the Gillette Building into a state-of-the-art film and digital production plans include six large sound stages, offices, workshops, and a public café.While key historic buildings will be preserved and refurbished, several non-listed structures will be concerns from Historic England, Sky, and Transport for London about visual impact and traffic congestion, the proposed development was accepted following design revisions and proposals for transport plans, which aim to make Hounslow a hub for creative enterprise, will need final approval from the Greater London Authority.
Times
05-08-2025
- Times
Six months on from my accident, I've not got on a Lime Bike again
Six months ago I was hit by a car while riding a Lime bike. I was cycling home after a late netball match in a quiet residential area of south London. It was dark but dry and it was a journey I'd made hundreds of times before. I wasn't wearing a helmet — I never did when I got Lime bikes. I had nearly crossed a mini roundabout when a driver coming from my left failed to stop, hitting the back of my bike and sending me catapulting me over the handlebars. I broke my wrist, my jaw and chipped my front teeth. I'm going to require dental work for the rest of my life. I was signed off work for six weeks. It was at least two months before I felt slightly more like myself again. I still get a little pang of nervousness crossing a road when I see a Lime bike coming. And I still haven't got back on a bike. That's why the decision by Hounslow Council to stop Lime ebikes operating in the borough appeals to me. Although less about rider behaviour on the roads and more about parking issues (alternative contracts have been offered to the rental firms Forest and Voi, with 'stricter enforcement for designated bay use' cited as a reason), it feels like sanity is starting to prevail. • The man behind Lime e-bikes on why they're 'no nuisance' The driver who hit me claims she didn't see me, that I 'came out of nowhere''. I guess if I'd been on my normal bike (which had a puncture, hence the Lime), I would have been travelling at a slower pace and therefore more visible to others, or I'd have been able to swerve before she crossed. I don't hate Lime bikes but I fear them now. While in many ways they've positively transformed our mobility across the city, they're big and heavy and fast. Anyone can get on one, and it feels like they leave them anywhere. As an able-bodied person I can walk around the scattered ebikes left on my road but I often think of how this affects wheelchair users, parents with prams, the elderly and people with disabilities. Since my accident, multiple friends have also had incidents, as riders and pedestrians. With summer weather making buses and trains far less desirable, more people are going to choose a Lime bike — thus more potential for accidents. • I know why Lime bike riders are so reckless Am I convinced things will be that different with Forest and Voi bikes? I don't know. It's good to see moves toward stricter parking systems but will that really stop people from riding recklessly? Banning one brand doesn't fix the problem, it just passes it on. For me, it's not so much the product that's inherently dangerous but how people use it. I often see riders on their phones, listening to music, even rolling a cigarette, completely absorbed in their bubble. Red lights and zebra crossings seem optional. And for pedestrians, these heavier, faster bikes leave a fraction of the reaction time compared to non-electric bikes. Riders need to understand that while we feel free and protected, the power is illusory. We're not in a car, it's still a bike, and our bodies are vulnerable. While the ban might ease frustration in the short term, it doesn't solve the bigger issue of integrating technological advances into city travel. Cities need to adapt, not just restrict. If councils don't tackle the root behaviours and infrastructure gaps, we'll be here again in six months with a different logo. As long as we treat these bikes as a quick fix — for cities, for commuters, for climate goals — without properly integrating them into how we move and live, we're asking for more accidents, more frustration and more bans. We need to fix the system before the fear outweighs the convenience and people like me never get back on.
