Lewisham Council is set to formalise agreements with dockless e-bike operators Lime and Forest through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The move aims to better manage the operation and parking of dockless bikes across the borough, addressing concerns about obstructive parking and its impact on accessibility.
The Sustainable Development Select Committee received an update on the council's Dockless Bikes programme, which is designed to support cycle hire schemes and ensure bikes are parked in designated bays. The proposed MoU will outline service standards, parking compliance, deployment rules, fleet size, user education, and data sharing responsibilities for operators. The council's responsibilities will include providing infrastructure and regulatory control.
Designated Parking Bays and Accessibility
Lewisham Council has been actively implementing designated parking bays for e-bikes through a phased approach. Designated bays will be established at a minimum distance of every 400m to ensure a dense network that improves parking compliance. The locations for these bays are identified through phased delivery across the borough, with further phases subject to statutory consultation and site visits to ensure feasibility. The report notes that the majority of these bays are located on the footway to avoid impeding pedestrian access. This strategy aims to address concerns that obstructive parking negatively impacts accessibility for pedestrians, including those with mobility issues, visual impairments, and people with buggies. The provision of dockless bikes is also noted to have positive equalities implications, as the assisted power of e-bikes makes cycling easier and offers a flexible alternative to other modes of transport.
Timeline for Bay Implementation
Phases 1, 2, and 3 have already seen bays delivered across various wards, with Phase 4 proposals currently out for consultation and Phase 5 locations identified for delivery in 2026/27. Phase 4 proposals include an additional 33 bays, with statutory consultation open until February 27th. Locations for Phase 5 delivery, which includes bays in several wards, are identified and will be subject to further review and statutory consultation. Additionally, 29 locations have been identified to infill gaps, and funding is being sought for these. Transport for London (TfL) is also delivering bays on the Transport for London Road Network (TLRN) within Lewisham, which will be subject to their statutory consultation. South Eastern Railway is also exploring options for designated bays at their stations within the borough.
Operator Responsibilities and Penalties
The MoU will detail key responsibilities for operators, including maintaining bikes in a safe and roadworthy condition, ensuring parking compliance through geofenced bays, and providing user education. Operators are responsible for providing clear guidance on safe riding, legal use, and correct parking. They are also required to enforce penalties for misuse, including warnings, fines, and bans.
The council, in turn, will be responsible for infrastructure provision and regulatory control, with the ability to confiscate non-compliant bikes and charge operators for their removal and storage. Operators face penalties for non-compliance with service standards. If unsafe dockless bikes are not collected within 2 hours, or other defective bikes are not collected within 24 hours, enforcement action can be taken. If bikes are parked outside designated bays and not removed within 24 hours, they can be confiscated. Hacked, vandalized, or illegally used bikes must be removed within 24 hours, or the Authority will intervene. Dangerous or obstructive bikes must be removed within 2 hours, otherwise they will be confiscated. The MoU outlines a schedule of costs for these activities, including removal fees, daily storage fees, and disposal fees. If an operator repeatedly fails to retrieve or relocate bikes, the Authority can issue written warnings, and after three warnings in three months, the operator's permission to operate can be revoked.
Addressing Vandalism and Misuse
Performance data from Lime for 2025 indicates a significant increase in trips, with 2.7 million journeys recorded. The company also reported proactive tidying of locations and bike relocations, alongside a low number of complaints and a swift response time to issues. However, the report also noted a number of vandalised or stolen vehicles. According to Lime's performance data, 134 vehicles (11 per month on average) were vandalized or stolen in 2025. The MoU outlines that 'hacked, vandalised, or illegally used bikes' must be removed by the operator within 24 hours, or the Authority will intervene. If not removed in agreed timescales, the Authority will confiscate them. Lime issued warnings and fines to users for misuse.
Data Sharing and Program Evaluation
Operators are required to supply monthly and weekly performance reporting, including trip data, fleet deployment, parking compliance, safety incidents, and user enforcement metrics. Officers meet with Lime regularly to review this data. This data will be used by Lewisham Council to evaluate the effectiveness of the e-bike program and inform future decisions.
Broader Strategy
The council's Dockless Bikes programme is part of a broader strategy to promote active travel and create a cleaner, greener borough, aligning with the Corporate Strategy, Active Travel Strategy, and Climate Emergency Action Plan. The committee's work is outlined in the Public reports pack.
