'TfL must crackdown on nuisance e-bike parking'

Transport for London (TfL) must use new regulatory powers granted by the government to crack down on "nuisance" e-bike parking, City Hall Labour has said.

The capital's boroughs have struggled to properly regulate the vehicles, which have risen in popularity in recent years, due to a lack of legal powers and a cohesive strategy between different areas of London.

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, passed earlier this year, handed licensing powers to TfL to create a single city-wide regulatory framework for dockless e-bike operators.

A spokesperson for TfL said they welcomed the legislation and were working "to develop proposals for a London-wide licencing scheme".

It will mean new requirements for firms including Lime, Forest, Bolt and Voi around parking, safety and accessibility.

Assembly Member Elly Baker told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Every Londoner will know that it's a bit of a Wild West for dockless e-bikes.

"They tend to be parked often on pavements, getting in the way of people.

"Cycling is getting a bit of a bad rap because lots of what most Londoners see is actually just a load of Lime bikes hanging around."

The act means TfL can legally license e-bike operators and fine those who fail to comply.

Latest figures suggest 10% of the 1.5m daily cycling trips in London are made on dockless e-bikes, with around 50,000 available for hire in the capital at any one time.

A TfL spokesperson said the new legislation provides the ability to replace the borough-by-borough approach, with a consistent licensing scheme for London in the future.

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