Council announces new agreement with e-bike operators
Rental e-bikes are proving to be incredibly popular in Lewisham, providing a genuinely positive alternative to car use and filling some of the gaps in public transport provision in the borough.
The Council has seen a huge increase in the number of journeys made by dockless e-bikes in the past few years, with more than 2.7 million trips made in Lewisham in 2025 alone.
The agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with operators Forest and Lime, gives the Council stronger powers to remove non‑compliant, unsafe or badly parked bikes and take robust action where standards are repeatedly not met.
Operators must act within clear timescales, with dangerous or obstructive bikes removed within two hours and other non-compliant bikes within 24 hours otherwise bikes will be seized and stored, with the operators being liable for any costs to the Council. Any income raised by the enforcement will be invested back into the programme to deliver and maintain dockless bike bays.
Where operators fail to act, the Council can and will intervene directly.
It can remove bikes parked outside designated bays, bikes that are hacked, vandalised or illegally used, and any bikes that are dangerous or causing an obstruction.
The Council aims to enable more journeys to be made by walking, cycling and public transport and to reduce reliance on cars.
It is continuing to deliver its dockless bikes programme, introducing marked designated bays where dockless e-bikes must be parked by riders.
There are almost 200 bays across the borough and the Council aims to increase this to around 300 bays at a distance of at least every 400m by the end of the year. Each operator will have an initial maximum fleet of 960 bikes which may be increased as new bays are introduced.
Having a dense network of designated bays for dockless e-bikes will help to improve parking compliance and e-bikes from being parked obstructively, as people have more options.
Councillor Louise Krupski, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Climate Action, said:
“Dockless e‑bikes have an important role to play in helping people make shorter, cleaner journeys and relying less on cars, but they must be run properly and responsibly.
“This new agreement makes it clear that poor parking, unsafe bikes and repeated non‑compliance will not be tolerated in Lewisham.
“Residents have told us they want to see clear rules. By backing these up with firm enforcement, we are protecting pavements, improving safety and making sure e-bikes work for everyone. Operators who meet our standards will be able to grow their services, but those who don’t will face real consequences.
“The MoU sets out a comprehensive framework, which we will strictly enforce, supporting safer streets and clearer pavements.”
Alex Berwin, Head of Policy at Forest, said:
“We are excited to strengthen our partnership with Lewisham Council and bring our service to even more Londoners. It’s amazing to see the continued demand for e-bikes and cycling in London, and we’re proud to be working with the Council to ensure we deliver a scheme that benefits both riders and residents.
“By supporting the rollout of 300 new parking bays and introducing mandatory parking, we’re helping to create a well-managed, accessible service that works for everyone. We look forward to building on this close collaboration with the Council to deliver affordable and sustainable travel options for residents in Lewisham.”
Jack McKenna, Lime's Senior Policy Manager said:
“We’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with Lewisham Council. Lime's additional investment in parking and boosting our on-street team in the borough will improve access to cycling while ensuring that bikes are parked safely and responsibly.
"We’ve seen strong demand for our service with record trip numbers in 2025 and usage growing every month. Feedback from residents demonstrates that access to shared e-bikes is particularly important in parts of the borough that are less well-served by public transport and helps commuters who are making first and last mile trips to and from tube and rail stations.
"We welcome the Council’s work in rolling out more designated parking bays across Lewisham to help ensure that the service goes from strength to strength. Delivering a dense network of bays will make it easier for riders to park correctly and ensure shared e-bikes work well for everyone in the borough.”