Dockless e-bikes have become a common sight across London — bright green Lime bikes scattered on pavements, outside stations, and sometimes in the
middle of walkways. They’re popular, convenient, and environmentally friendly. But according to many Londoners — and even the mayor — the system has spun out of control.
A booming idea with growing pains
The concept of dockless e-bikes sounds great on paper: hop on, ride anywhere, drop it off when you’re done. No docking stations, no hassle. But in reality, the lack of regulation has led to mounting issues — from safety concerns among new riders to chaos over where the bikes end up parked.
Some pavements are so cluttered with abandoned e-bikes that pedestrians, wheelchair users, and parents with prams are forced into the road. Critics say the rapid expansion of the schemes hasn’t been matched with proper infrastructure.
Hackney leads on affordability
The biggest player in London’s e-bike scene is the Californian tech company Lime, with around 50,000 bikes in the capital. Hackney Council has been one of the most enthusiastic supporters, even matching Lime’s 30-minute rental price to the cost of a bus fare — £1.75 — to make cycling more accessible.
Sarah Young from Hackney Council said the goal was to get more people cycling, but added that stricter rules were coming to make sure bikes were parked properly. The council plans to monitor parking closely and hold operators accountable for poor behaviour.
‘I’m scared to leave my house’
For some Londoners, though, the bikes have made life harder — even dangerous.
John Thornton from Hackney Disability Backup, who uses a wheelchair, said dockless bikes block pavements so often that he’s “fearful about leaving the house.”
“The right to pass without hindrance is being violated,” he said. “This business model sacrifices accessibility for profit. I want dockless bikes banned unless there are proper docking stations.”
Parking bays bring new problems
To solve the clutter issue, councils are rolling out designated parking bays across London. But even these have caused trouble.
In Islington, a parking bay installed near a popular pub became a magnet for piles of bikes, noisy van collections at 1 a.m., and antisocial behaviour.
Local residents Ben Gallagher and Cliona O’Sullivan said the noise and disruption had been relentless. “Lime seem to operate without rules,” Gallagher said. “If you’re just a resident, it’s almost impossible to contact them. It feels like they don’t care about the communities they’re in.”
O’Sullivan added that despite multiple complaints, Lime vans still drop off bikes in the middle of the night. “We can’t even do building work past 5 p.m., but they’re unloading bikes at 1 a.m. — it’s ridiculous,” she said.
‘It’s the wild west’
Mayor Sadiq Khan admitted that while it’s great to see more people cycling, the lack of consistent rules has made things chaotic.
"Regulation has not caught up with the pace of people's desire to use cycle hire bikes," he said.
"One council has a certain set of rules, another council doesn't allow the bikes, another council has a different set of rules.
"We should have one system across London and we are lobbying the government to have a pan-London system of regulation."
A fix on the horizon
Help might be coming soon. The English Devolution Bill, currently making its way through Parliament, would give Transport for London (TfL) the power to license and regulate dockless e-bikes.
Under the new law, TfL could require all e-bikes to be parked in designated bays — and even fine operators who don’t comply. Supporters point to a similar trial with e-scooters, which saw a 90% compliance rate.
Lime, for its part, says it’s aware of the parking challenges and wants to improve. The company says it’s helped fund more than 3,250 parking bays, hired more on-street staff, and continues to work with councils like Hackney and Islington to find solutions.
Still, for many Londoners, the dream of clean, green, easy cycling has turned into something of a nightmare. Photo by Philafrenzy, Wikimedia commons.