At this week’s Streets & Walkways Sub-Committee, we considered the next stage of the City Corporation’s approach to dockless e-bikes.
Their use has grown significantly. Around 315,000 journeys a month now start or finish in the Square Mile. The number of dockless bikes counted in summer 2025 was five times higher than in summer 2023, and they accounted for almost one-third of all cycles counted.
The Committee agreed that Voi could join Lime and Forest as an approved operator under a strengthened Memorandum of Understanding.
That said, this does not increase the existing parking capacity. The City currently has 1,450 spaces across 118 designated bays, and that fixed capacity will now be divided between the three operators. Mandatory parking controls, supported by GPS data and end-of-ride photographs, are intended to prevent users from ending journeys outside designated bays or leaving bikes unsafely.
The revised MoU introduces stronger controls, including:
- financial penalties of up to £10,000 for repeated failures around parking compliance and response times
- a requirement to respond to reported obstructions within 90 minutes
- limits on the number of bikes each operator may have parked in the City
- greater financial contributions towards parking infrastructure, enforcement and responsible cycling initiatives
People may also have noticed vans collecting and redistributing e-bikes around the City. This reflects the operators’ responsibility to tidy overcrowded bays and remove excess or obstructively parked bikes.
In terms of results so far, I was pleased to hear that there are some encouraging signs. Public reports of improperly parked bikes and e-scooters previously peaked at more than 330 in a month; the highest monthly figure so far in 2026 has been 165. However, continued monitoring and enforcement remain essential.
On this point, as part of my role, I am raising questions about whether designated bays and their capacity could be more clearly signed on the street, together with simple instructions for reporting non-compliance—not only for riders, but for residents, pedestrians, businesses and everyone using the City’s public spaces.
E-bikes have become a significant and important part of the City’s transport network. However, local authorities currently lack specific regulatory powers over dockless cycle-hire operators. The City’s report indicates that new statutory licensing powers are not anticipated before mid-2028, which is why the City Corporation is using Memoranda of Understanding to establish clearer obligations and accountability in the meantime.
The challenge is to support their use while promoting rider responsibility and keeping our streets safe, accessible and well managed.