Lambeth Council is undertaking a review of its management of e-bikes and scooters, aiming to strike a balance between the benefits of micromobility and the need for accessible streets. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to discuss the current Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with dockless e-bike operators.
The revised MoU, in place until a pan-London licensing scheme is introduced, aims to provide a stronger framework for managing operations, parking, fleet size, and data sharing. Operators are now required to adhere to bay-only parking, provide live data, and manage user behaviour, with financial penalties for non-compliance. The current MoU is considered an interim arrangement until a pan-London licensing scheme is introduced, with the new licensing regime expected to have an on-street impact from around Spring/Summer 2028. The revised Lambeth MoU (March 2026 to March 2028) is intended to prepare for this transition, and the council will adapt or replace local arrangements as required to align with the new statutory framework.
Councillor Kiera Alleyne, Deputy Leader for Transport, Environment and Climate Crisis, highlighted the strong and growing demand for e-bikes in Lambeth, with trips increasing by approximately 113% between June 2024 and June 2026. Operators like Human Forest reported issuing over 15,000 warnings and over 1,200 fines to users for poor parking and behaviour since signing the latest MoU.
Representatives from e-bike operators, including Lime and Voi Technology, presented their perspectives. Alice Thurston, Lime's UK operations manager, stated that the company has invested £20 million in its service, including parking infrastructure and increasing its on-street team by 60%. Michael Duck, Senior City Success Manager for Voi Technology, noted that Lambeth has built one of the most effective frameworks in London for managing dockless bikes.
Councillor Amanda Manley-Brown raised concerns about the impact of poorly parked bikes on disabled residents, older people, and those with visual impairments. She questioned how the council would evaluate the genuine improvement in accessibility and residents' lived experiences, beyond simply measuring complaints or enforcement actions. In response, Simon Phillips, Assistant Director covering Climate Change and Transport, indicated that the council is developing its enforcement approach and will use live data from operators to understand if enforcement is working and where improvements are needed. He also suggested that working with partners, such as NHS partners, might help gather qualitative data. Additionally, the council plans to consult on the locations of new dockless bike bays, reaching out to relevant groups for feedback on where these bays might be needed.
The committee also discussed the need for improved parking bay capacity, particularly in high-demand areas. Dominic Hughes, Senior Policy Manager for Human Forest, recommended focusing on strengthening parking bays in identified hotspots.
Discussions also touched upon rider behaviour, with Lime's Respect the Red
campaign aimed at addressing red light running. The campaign involved a significant investment across various channels, including a cycling masterclass, training sessions, and influencer engagement, with events held with the Met Police. While the campaign was widely seen, measuring its direct effectiveness on red light running is challenging. Lime noted that 1.9 million people saw the campaign and are looking at ongoing partnerships to address red light running, acknowledging it as a wider cycling issue. The effectiveness of geofencing and the consistency of its enforcement across the borough were also debated.
Officers confirmed that the council is working to enhance enforcement capacity and improve communication channels for reporting issues. A dedicated resident and councillor reporting tool is being developed to provide a simpler and more direct route for reporting issues such as bikes obstructing footways, disabled bays, crossings, or bus stops. Reports submitted through the tool will capture consistent information, including location, issue type, and photographic evidence, and will automatically notify the relevant operator for a response within the MoU timescales. The data gathered will also inform the council's enforcement activity. A meeting about this tool is scheduled for tomorrow, indicating it is a current priority, but a specific launch date is not provided.
The revised MoU includes a charging and escalation framework for operator non-compliance. If bikes are parked outside designated bays or other approved areas, operators must remove them within specified timeframes. Failure to do so can result in charges: £30 per bike for those parked outside bays for more than 6 hours but less than 72 hours (not causing danger/obstruction), £60 per bike for those parked outside for more than 2 hours causing danger or obstruction, and £100 per bike per day for storage if removed by the council. Additionally, daily charges apply for exceeding fleet limits, ranging from £4 to £20 per bike per day depending on the scale of over-deployment. Persistent breaches may lead to suspension or revocation of the MoU. Income generated from these fees and access fees is intended to cover operational and enforcement costs, support bay maintenance, programme management, monitoring, and service development.
Lambeth Council is actively engaged with Transport for London (TfL) and the Greater London Authority (GLA) in preparation for the statutory licensing scheme. Officers meet with TfL frequently, and Lambeth's MoU has been shared with TfL, with the indication that it is seen as best practice and may influence TfL's approach to future legislation. The council is involved in discussions about a pan-London scheme, pushing for features like bay-to-bay navigation and a shared system where operators can reserve bays. They are also involved in TfL-led working groups and information exchanges with other London boroughs.
Further details on the committee's discussions can be found in the Public reports pack for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
