The City of London Corporation is to sign agreements with two e-bike operators which will formalise existing practices such as payment for the use of parking bays.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as the documents are known, are to be signed with Lime and Forest, two of the largest e-bike operators in the capital.
The practices listed in the MoUs, which as well as ensuring e-bike companies pay for bays also includes them having to respond to reports of poorly parked bikes within 90 minutes and to manage fleet numbers, have been in-place for a number of years.
The MoUs, the signing of which is to be agreed by Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee members next Tuesday (July 22), are designed to give more certainty around e-bike use as the Corporation attempts to manage the large numbers seen across the Square Mile.
The City of London Corporation declined to comment ahead of next week’s Sub-Committee meeting.
While they are heralded for their convenience and contributions towards increasing active travel, abandoned dockless e-bikes have become a growing source of pain for residents and businesses in the capital.
The Corporation earlier this year said it had seized more than 100 bikes obstructing pavements or roads over a two-week period.
They were then stored in a safe location for 24 hours, where providers could pay a fee to come and collect them.
Image: LDRS
Former Chair of Planning and Transportation, Common Councillor Shravan Joshi, proposed a motion in May 2024 agreed by members which called on operators to “comply with our requirements and manage their fleets in line with available parking capacity and to prevent obstructions”.
The City was also urged to explore options such as enhanced fining zones and additional parking bays to help tackle the issue, and to commit to joining “a future pan-London nondocked micromobility contract” through Transport for London (TfL) and London Councils.
In a report due to be presented at next week’s meeting, Corporation officers wrote that while the English Devolution Bill white paper published in December indicated authorities such as TfL would be given greater powers of regulation, this is not expected to come into effect until late 2026.
“Given the uncertainty around the timetable for new micromobility legislation Officers have been liaising closely with Lime and Forest representatives to agree the terms and conditions of an MoU,” they wrote. “This will formalise practices that have been in place with both operators for a number of years.”
The MoUs cover details from the permitted use granted to the operators by the Corporation to how parking bays are to be paid for and assessed.
Lime, one of the two operators to sign the MoU, is building more parking spaces and increasing its on-street team by 60 per cent funded by its £20 million London Action Plan.
Hal Stevenson, Director of Policy UKI, Lime, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We’re thrilled to be extending our contract with the City of London, deepening our successful partnership and collaborating to meet this record demand.
“Bikes are now the number one vehicle mode in the City of London, demonstrating how commuting patterns are shifting towards active travel and more sustainable, carbon-free transport options.
“We’ll be working together to add more dedicated parking facilities, helping even more cyclists get on the road and contributing to the Mayor’s Transport Strategy goals.”
Alex Berwin, Head of Policy at Forest, said: “We are delighted that the City of London has chosen to renew its partnership with Forest.
Image: Lime website
“This decision is a strong vote of confidence in our service and reflects the growing demand for cycling with our bikes playing a key role in supporting a 57 per cent increase in cycling journeys across the Square Mile in just two years. It is clear that City of London residents, commuters, and visitors are increasingly choosing greener, more accessible, and affordable ways to travel around the capital.
“Since we were first selected to deliver e-bikes in the City of London in 2021, we have been working hard to ensure that we meet this increasing demand in a way which benefits all Londoners. This has included investing in more than 100 parking bays across the Square Mile to date, with further bays planned through our latest agreement. Alongside this, we have continued to grow our dedicated on-street team, who monitor and respond to issues 24/7, removing obstructive bikes and ensuring bays remain clear and well-maintained.”
“We are really proud of our partnership with the City of London and look forward to continuing to work closely with the borough to deliver the infrastructure that ensures cycling is the best choice for Londoners.”
There are currently 108 “micromobility bays” in the City accommodating approximately 1,150 vehicles.
Efforts are ongoing to increase the number of such bays with plans to increase capacity to around 1,500 vehicles by September.
Local authorities across London are taking action to tackle abandoned e-bikes.
Haringey Council announced a crackdown on ‘problematic’ e-bikes earlier this year, adding it would have 100 mandatory bays in-place by the end of 2025 in an effort to keep streets accessible.
