EditorsThe problem of shared e-bikes cluttering up London’s pavements and blocking pedestrians could be tackled with more parking locations and a consistent set of policies across the city, according to a new report.
The “independent analysis” commissioned by e-bike-for-hire operator Lime and authored by the consultancy Steer says that while London has seen a “boom” in e-bike journeys, “regulation has struggled to keep up”.
It comes as survey data from the pollster Opinium reveals that 49 percent of Londoners aged 18- to 34-years say they use a rental e-bike at least once a week.
The report says that while e-bikes “are a vital part of the effort to improve our air quality”, there is still the potential for an extra 10 million e-bike journeys in London per year, if there was more parking capacity for them.
But the research — which was advised on by the Centre for London think tank — also acknowledges that “allowing bikes to be parked anywhere can lead to street clutter”.
In the last six months, Lime has recorded a 21 percent increase in parking locations with “exceeded vehicle capacity” in central London on weekdays. In response, the business said it has increased its on-street staffing by 40 percent.
Currently, the rules on where the vehicles can be left vary depending on the brand of e-bike being used and the borough being parked in.
The report’s authors recommend that all e-bike operators and councils agree to creating a “mandatory parking zone” which would cover the capital’s central boroughs. In this area, e-bike journeys could only be ended by parking in designated bays.
To enable this system however, it says that at least 50 bays would be needed per square kilometre in the busiest parts of the city centre.
In London’s less central boroughs, the report suggests that a “flexible parking zone” could be created, which would have designated bays in the busiest areas, while still allowing for bikes to be parked “considerately” in any location outside those areas.
Hal Stevenson, Lime’s UK director of policy, said demand for cycling “has skyrocketed in the last year but that this growth “has come with unintended challenges”.
The company is “committed” to following the report’s recommendations, he added.
The Centre for London held a discussion at the launch of the report. They reported a number of outcomes from the discussion:
- E-bikes play a significant role in solving London’s sustainability and air-pollution crisis, as easy, convenient alternatives to car use.
- Insufficient e-bike parking means 10 million emission free journeys are missed every year.
- Poorly parked bikes can create dangerous street clutter, making our pavements less navigable and less accessible.
- Local government needs to simplify parking regulation, so it’s understandable for e-bike providers and users alike.
- Through improved GPS and AI technology, and end trip photos, providers should follow best practice and mandate safe user parking.
- Providers should and are supporting local government, with extremely stretched budgets, in implementation of e-bike schemes and parking bays.
- We need short-term solutions, like shared-use for under-utilised existing cycling infrastructure, and long-term goals, like changes to legislation to re-allocate carriageway space for e-bikes, to solve this problem.
- Providers, charities, government and communities must work together to co-create policy which encourages sustainable travel while keeping our streets clear.
Report: Changing Spaces: How to solve London’s shared e-bike parking challenge (pdf).
Centre for London Launch event: Changing Spaces: How to solve London’s shared e-bike parking challenge.
Additional reporting by Linus Rees.
