City of London to Boost Street Management with £455,000 from Dockless Cycle Hire
Income generated from dockless cycle hire schemes is set to fund new roles and initiatives within the City of London, following a review of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with operators. The revised agreements are expected to bring in an estimated £455,360 annually.
The City of London's Streets and Walkways Sub (Planning and Transportation) Committee has confirmed that revised MoUs with dockless cycle hire companies, including Voi, Lime, and Forest, will generate this increased income. This has been secured through stronger controls and accountability measures, such as an agreed contribution of £80 per allocated parking space per quarter from operators. The funds will be allocated to various areas aimed at improving street management and promoting safe cycling.
Key areas of expenditure include funding for MoU management staff costs and the recruitment of an additional Street Environment Officer. The projected costs for this new role, including overheads, are £35,300 for 2026/27 and £106,090 for 2027/28. Consultancy support for data auditing is also planned, with projected costs of £15,000 for 2026/27 and £30,900 for 2027/28.
A significant portion of the income will be used to fund a city-wide behaviour change campaign, designed to encourage safer and more responsible cycling practices across the Square Mile. The campaign, which will be developed with an agency and launched in spring next year, aims to address common complaints and complement existing police efforts. Metrics for success will include understanding the campaign's reach and monitoring behaviours such as red light jumping. The allocated budget for the campaign is £50,000 for 2026/27 and £75,000 for 2027/28.
Funds will also be directed towards a city-wide review to identify new bay locations for dockless cycles. This review will be a kerbside assessment. The estimated costs for bay delivery are £15,000 for 2026/27 and £52,000 for 2027/28, with bay maintenance estimated at £10,000 for 2026/27 and £10,500 for 2027/28. Additional engagement by the City Police on cycling matters will also be supported.
The revised MoUs, which are in place for 24 months from August 2026 with a possible 12-month extension, also introduce a new penalty regime for operators. This regime targets those who exceed parking allocations, demonstrate poor parking compliance, respond slowly to reports, fail to issue user warnings or fines, or submit data late. This aims to ensure better management of the dockless cycle schemes.
Any unspent funds from these allocations will be directed to the On-Street Parking Reserve, which is available for investment in transport and public realm projects, as well as parking and cleansing services within the city.
Further details on the committee's discussions can be found in the Public reports pack and the Agenda frontsheet.