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North London e-bike enthusiasts, be warned – Islington Council could soon be following in the footsteps of Hounslow, Chiswick and Brent to ban Lime bikes from the borough. But it’s not just the bright green bikes that are at risk of being outlawed, the council has its eyes on Forest, too.
Last week, the council said that e-bike hire companies Lime and Forest are on their ‘last warning’ to tackle dangerous parking and reckless rider behaviour. If they fail to deal with the ‘persistent problems’, such as bikes blocking pavements, night-time noise, riders running red lights and overflowing parking bays, they could lose permission to operate in the borough.
Islington Council has added 115 dedicated bike hire bays over the past year but said that more than 200 dangerously placed bikes have had to be removed (though it didn’t specify over what period). In an open letter to both companies, council leader Una O’Halloran and executive member Rowena Champion, wrote: ‘Hire bike operators must take action to address dangerous, unsafe parking and poor rider behaviour.
‘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 concludes: ‘We welcomed you to the borough because of the benefits that hire bikes bring – but without urgent action on these issues, this welcome will be withdrawn.’
Alex Berwin, Forest’s head of policy, responded: ‘We recognise that the service must work well for everyone, and we take the issues raised seriously. That is why we are investing heavily in better parking technology, in-app guidance and clear instructions to help users park responsibly and reduce street clutter. Our local team also responds quickly when issues are reported to help ensure bikes don’t cause obstruction or inconvenience.’
As for Lime, a spokesperson said that it’s committed to working with the council to minimise disruption, particularly at night, and that it ‘[shares] their view that rental e-bikes play a valuable role in improving congestion, air quality, and public health in the borough and across London’.
Borough councils across London have been trying to crack down on the reckless use of e-bikes over the past year or so. Wandsworth, Lewisham and the City of London have also implemented stricter rules for the vehicles.
In some better news for Lime lovers, did you see that an east London borough has introduced a game-changing price cap?
Plus: London’s TfL Cycles are getting a major upgrade
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