Published: Wednesday 5 April 2023
Kensington and Chelsea is tackling rogue riders dumping rental e-bikes in the middle of the pavement by recommending 164 designated spaces around the borough for new e-bike parking.
The Council is consulting on the locations, which would give the borough more e-bike parking per resident than anywhere else in London. Currently providers do not have to ask their users to park in a designated space, meaning e-bikes have blighted pavements, causing obstructions for pedestrians and dangerous situations for people with visual impairments.
The proposed cycle space is also designed to boost visibility in a positive way encourage more people to take the e-bikes for short trips, rather than using their cars, cutting carbon emissions and improving air quality in the borough. It will also provide more cycle hire options for the north of the borough, which has fewer Santander bike hire locations than the south.
Cllr Cem Kemahli, lead member for planning, place and environment, said:
“E-bikes are a convenient way for nipping to the shops or visiting friends nearby. It can, however, be really frustrating when abandoned rental e-bikes obstruct pavements. It causes problems for the disabled, pedestrians, wheelchair users and parents with children in buggies. That’s why we've called upon the operators to work with us and now we’re proposing to introduce 164 new bays for these e-bikes to legally park in; keeping our pavements clear and helping make Kensington and Chelsea greener, safer and fairer for everyone.”
A consultation on the locations for the bays is open now for six weeks until 17 May. The spaces will be in existing parking bays. Residents in streets with e-bike parking will still be able to park in other bays nearby.
Kensington and Chelsea Council has the most generous residents’ parking policy in London, allowing permit holders to park anywhere within the borough, not just in a designated zone near their home.
For queries or assistance in other language, contact the Council’s sustainable transport team by email at [email protected] or by phone on 020 7361 3628.
Take part in the online survey.
E-bikes are offered by providers DOTT, HumanForest, Lime and Tier.
Georgia Corr, UK and Ireland public policy manager at Lime, said:
"It's fantastic that Kensington and Chelsea are looking to provide e-bike parking spaces across the borough, expanding the number of residents and visitors who can access safe, affordable and sustainable transport."
Will Janson, head of operations at HumanForest, said:
“There’s strong demand for shared e-bike services in Kensington and Chelsea and we’re confident that parking bays offer the best solution for all who live, work and visit the borough.”
Duncan Robertson, director of public policy at DOTT, said:
"We are committed to providing the best possible experience for our riders, which includes ensuring proper parking for e-bikes. Increasing parking density will not only improve the user experience by making it easier to find and drop off an e-bike but will also contribute to the orderliness and tidiness of the area. By implementing well-designed parking solutions, we aim to provide a service that is considerate to all city residents."