Park e-bikes in a bay to halt clutter cyclists are told

CYCLISTS will be forced to park e-bikes in designated bays in the West End in a bid to tackle the “hazard” of dockless cycles being abandoned on pavements.

Westminster council is drawing up plans with the bike hire firms, with the aim of some key streets effectively becoming e-bike free zones.

Riders who fail to follow the new parking rules will incur additional hire charges and may also receive a penalty fine or be locked out of their account.

Paul Dimoldenberg, Westminster’s cabinet member for city management, has been in months of discussions to establish a “Westminster-wide network of parking bays for dockless e-bikes”.

A memorandum of understanding between the council and Tier, Lime, Dott and Human Forest could be in place by July. About 250 parking bays — including 80 existing e-scooter bays, which would be extended to make space for bikes — would be created.

But the bike firms, which would be expected to contribute to the cost, said as many as 500 bays across Westminster may be needed to meet demand. E-scooters that can be hired from many of the same firms already have to be parked in approved bays.

Mr Dimoldenberg said: “The idea is that the whole of Westminster will be geo-fenced, so e-bike riders can only park their bike in a designated bay. Otherwise they will continue to be charged as if they are carrying on their journey.”

He said bays would also be created by replacing kerb-side space used for car parking. “We don’t want any more clutter on the pavements,” he said. Last year, Westminster and Wandsworth councils began seizing e-bikes that had been abandoned on pavements.

“What we will also be asking the e-bike companies to do is have their staff go around to ensure their bikes are within the bays and not in the roadway creating a hazard for cars and pedestrians,” Mr Dimoldenberg said. “Bikes need to be parked in the right place, and in a way they don’t create hazards for pedestrians.”

Dott said it backed the plan, while Lime said it would work with Westminster for a long-term solution.

LONDONERS have grown accustomed to negotiating obstacles on pavements, most recently dockless e-bikes. At last, action is being taken.

Westminster Council is drawing up plans to force riders to park their bikes in designated bays, while users who fail to follow new rules will face higher charges and may be locked out of their account.

We welcome the uptake of low carbon and active forms of transport such as e-bikes but it must not come at the expense of pedestrians, particularly those with mobility issues or sight impairment. Parking bays are a desirable and long-overdue development.