Lewisham has become the latest London borough to require rental e-bike riders to use parking bays.
The Labour-run council has struck a partnership agreement with the e-bike brand Lime, and plans to install a network of around 300 bays across the borough.
It follows similar moves by authorities like Westminster, Camden, Hackney, Kensington and Chelsea, and others, amid concerns that the dockless arrangement means the bikes can block pavements – causing problems especially for blind and disabled people.
Under Lewisham’s new rules, if a Lime bike is not parked in a bay, riders will find that they are unable to end their journey on the app.
The authority said the new arrangements will “expand and improve the operation of dockless hire bikes around the borough”.
Councillor Louise Krupski, Lewisham’s cabinet member for environment and climate action, said: “Dockless hire bike schemes are a great way to promote active travel, provided they are managed properly.
“By agreeing this new partnership with Lime, we can support people in Lewisham to make more journeys using hire bikes, as well as addressing existing issues with inconsiderate parking and discarded bikes.”
Manish Kharel, general manager for Lime in London, said the company was “delighted to be working in partnership with Lewisham Council to launch this new service”, having “worked closely with them to identify suitable locations for these bays – clear of pedestrian walkways and based on Lime trip data to ensure they are in areas of high demand”.
Lewisham’s new parking bays will be installed in phases over the next six months, starting in the north of the borough, where usage is highest, and then working south.
Lime has also committed to removing bikes parked obstructively or discarded within twelve hours once reported.
In cases where bikes are causing an immediate obstruction or danger, they will be removed within two hours once reported, the council said.
