E-bike operator Lime has addressed concerns regarding parking compliance, underage riders, and speed limits at Lewisham's Public Transport Liaison Forum on Tuesday 20 October 2026.

The forum heard from Lime about a significant increase in e-bike usage in the borough, with a 30% rise in rides in September compared to the previous year. Lime is collaborating with the council to establish new designated parking bays, financed by their Lime Infrastructure Fund. These new bays are being identified by analysing high-demand locations, with a focus on areas connecting to train stations and a prime density of around 200 meters in dense locations.

Councillor Corinne Ashwell expressed concern over a recent decline in parking compliance. While the meeting notes a recent improvement in parking compliance following a memorandum of understanding between the council and Lime, it also acknowledges a slight dip recently. Lime is refocusing efforts on key areas and improving data sharing to address this. Riders who park badly face escalating penalties: a warning, then fines, and bans for repeat offenders. Lime also has on-street teams that retrieve obstructive bikes and tidy bays, and they respond to public reports of badly parked bikes.

Robert McIntosh of the Forest Hill Society questioned the effectiveness of geofencing and the issue of overcrowded parking bays, particularly near Forest Hill station. Lime's strategy to address overcrowded bays includes increasing the number of parking bays, relocating them from footways to carriageways where possible, and rebalancing bikes within the borough. Riders are prompted by the app to park in designated areas within a 200-meter radius, and Lime's on-street teams collect and rebalance bikes.

Councillor Esther Lee also raised issues concerning the speed of e-bikes and the difficulty in preventing underage individuals from riding them. Lime bikes are designed to travel at 15 miles per hour, a speed considered a balance for busy roads. Lime is investigating technological solutions to prevent underage riding, such as AI-powered age verification, which requires riders to scan an ID if the AI detects a risk. They also ban accounts for underage riders reported by the public.

Further details on the meeting can be found in the Public reports pack and the Agenda frontsheet.