Rentable E-Bikes could soon be banned from one London borough

It’s sort of a London rite of passage to risk your life at least once on some sort of green bike. Actually, you’re not a certified Londoner unless you’ve had some kind of bruise or scar inflicted by an e-Bike after cycling back from the pub. Or so I’ve been told (by my housemate, after I fell off an e-Bike cycling home from the pub…) However, this age-old-ish tradition may soon be at an end for North Londoners, as Islington Council could soon ban Lime Bikes from the borough – following the likes of Chiswick, Brent, and Hounslow. And Lime isn’t the only green bike it has in its sights, as Forest could be subject to the same ban.

Last week, the council said that e-bike companies like Forest and Lime were on their ‘last warning' to tackle dangerous parking, and reckless rider behaviour, and that if the companies fail to deal with the ‘persistent problems’ - like bikes blocking pavements, nocturnal noise, riders running red lights, and overflowing parking bays - then they could lose permission to operate in the borough.

In an open letter to both companies, Una O’Halloran and executive member Rowena Champion wrote: ‘Hire bike operators must take action to address dangerous, unsafe parking and poor rider behaviour.’ This letter comes after Islington Council added 115 dedicated bike hire bays over the past year, but said that more than 200 dangerously placed bikes have had to be moved.

‘To make hire bike usage a fair and sustainable option in Islington we need you the operators to act and do so swiftly, decisively, and effectively to protect residents and businesses from ongoing disruption,’ the letter continued.

In conclusion, the council summarised that they had ‘welcomed’ them to the borough ‘because of the benefits that hire bikes bring’, but that ‘without urgent action’ this welcome would be withdrawn. Quite literally on yer bike by the sounds of things.

Both Forest and Lime have responded, promising to take the issues seriously and address the usage.

Islington isn’t the only borough to crack down on the use of e-Bikes, with Wandsworth, Lewisham, and the City of London also having implemented stricter rules to ensure vehicle safety.

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