A council has issued thousands of fines to e-bike users for breaching parking rules in the capital, and says it has been ‘inundated with complaints about abandoned bikes’
A staggering number of riders have been slapped with fines for flouting e-bike regulations in London.
Documents from Westminster council reveal that a whopping 664,000 e-bike and e-scooter hires were made from parking bays in Westminster in October alone. The same documents disclose that Lime handed out as many as 5,000 fines per month last summer, seemingly for violations of the parking rules in Westminster.
Around 630,000 journeys are made monthly within, to and from Westminster by individuals on dockless e-bikes. The council acknowledged the “explosion in popularity of dockless e-bikes” since 2021 has had a positive impact on air quality, but it’s also been swamped with thousands of complaints about bikes being dumped haphazardly on pavements, reports Birmingham Live.
“The option of reverting to dockless bike companies operating a total free-floating parking model with no parking infrastructure and designated parking spaces is not recommended, as it would be ineffective in addressing the issues caused by irresponsible dockless bike parking,” the council documents read.
“It would also not address the safety issues this causes for people with mobility and visual impairments. It is therefore advised that the bay-based approach is adopted on a permanent basis, as this approach will meet the demands of the fast-changing regulatory environment of micromobility and continue to prioritise footway for pedestrians.”
Max Sullivan, Westminster’s cabinet member for streets, said: “Cycling is a great way to get around the city and, as a council, we want to make it as easy as possible to hop on a bike – but too often shared e-bikes in Westminster cause obstruction on our pavements.
“That’s why I’m glad to confirm that our network of e-bike parking bays will continue to be a feature of Westminster streets, and part of lessening the impact on pedestrians of the over 600,000 journeys by shared e-bike per month in our borough.
“This combined with fines from bike companies for irresponsible parking and the council’s powers to seize abandoned bikes will help ensure Westminster’s streets remain clear and accessible for everyone.
“The council welcomes the Government’s English Devolution White Paper and wants to see a new regulatory framework so councils can control e-bike hire schemes in their area.”