Haringey Council has formally corrected the company name for its dockless e-bike hire service contract, ensuring the agreement with Human Forest Ltd is accurately recorded. The administrative change, approved by Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Transport, Councillor Gio Iozzi, rectifies a previous error where the company was listed as Human Forest (Bikes) Ltd
in the Cabinet Report from March 2026.
The correction, made during a Cabinet Member Signing meeting on August 10, 2026, does not alter the substance of the original contract awarded in March 2026. The four-year contract allows the council to manage and expand its dockless e-bike services.
Dockless e-bike hire has become an established mode of transport in Haringey, with user and journey figures continuing to rise. The council has engaged with residents and stakeholders through platforms like 'Commonplace' to gather feedback on the scheme's benefits and challenges. The main benefits identified were increased accessibility to cycling, providing an alternative while facilitating multi-modal journeys.
Cyclists also valued parking flexibility
and being integrated with existing transport options.
Reduction in vehicle emissions
was also cited. The main challenges identified included safety
concerns (especially for non-cyclists), lack of cycling infrastructure,
obstructive use and parking,
and for cyclists, cost and availability.
Consultations with the Adult Social Care Joint Partnership Board highlighted concerns regarding the amount of dockless bikes parked non-compliantly in disabled bays,
the need to consider side loading or rear loading ramps
when locating bays, and a concern that lime bikes that are non-compliantly parked on pavements are not being redeployed within the 24-hour period.
They also raised concerns about hacking of lime bikes and vandalism,
suggested unique numbers on dockless bikes to identify them and incentives for finding discarded bikes,
and called for stronger fines and penalties for badly parked bikes.
Additionally, they advised against placing bikes near pedestrian crossings
due to potential danger to visually impaired people.
A formal procurement exercise for these services was approved in September 2025. The existing agreements with operators like Human Forest Ltd and Lime Technology Ltd allowed the council to understand cycling demand and regulate the market. The new contract aims to establish clearer rules and fees for better management of the e-bikes and fairer pricing for users.
The new contract will include increased fleet management with fines and penalties for the operators and require reductions in fleet size in the event of poor performance.
Additionally, for non-compliant parking, operators will be required to redeploy any non-compliantly parked bike within 3 hours of being reported. If they fail to do so, they will incur a fine and the bikes will be held in storage at a price per day for up to 10 days.
Under the proposed contract, the council will be monitoring several key performance indicators (KPIs) for Human Forest Ltd. These include: Number of distinct users, Average km per trip, Average trip duration in minutes, Average utilisation rate of vehicles per day, Download of the number of e-bikes in Haringey at 00:00 each day, Highest ridership day, Highest ridership hour, Average fare, Number of e-bikes left outside a bay, Parking compliance (%), Number of complaints, Number of fines/issues given/reasonings, Number of equitable access plan members, Average complaint response time, Number of reported incidents and near misses involving a dockless e-bike, Top 10 bays with the highest usage, Top 10 bays with the lowest usage.
The report considered during the meeting detailed the procurement process, which involved an open tender. The council also considered the alternative of not entering into formal agreements, which would likely lead to an unregulated service with no council oversight. The current trial scheme was set to end in March 2026, necessitating a new agreement through a tendering process. This can be reviewed in the Public reports pack.
The council's approach to dockless e-bike services aligns with various strategic plans, including the Walking and Cycling Action Plan and the Climate Change Action Plan. Feedback from engagement processes highlighted concerns regarding pavement obstructions, anti-social behaviour, and non-compliant parking, which the new contract aims to address through stricter management and penalties.
