London Authorities Confiscate Thousands of E‑Bikes Amid Growing Public Concern Over Obstructed Pathways

London boroughs have confiscated at least 3,000 e‑bikes this year, according to a Guardian investigation, amid mounting pressure on hire firms to curb street litter and pavement obstruction.

Across the capital, local authorities have impounded 3,393 dangerously parked or abandoned e‑bikes so far this year, a figure that is 23 % higher than the total seized throughout 2025.

Lime, the California‑based e‑bike rental operator, was responsible for over 2,000 of this year’s seizures, according to data supplied by 19 boroughs via freedom‑of‑information requests. Its rival Forest came second with 978 seizures, while Voi recorded 103.

Dockless e‑bikes have surged in popularity in recent years as a cheaper, greener alternative to other transport options. Estimates from Transport for London indicate that one in ten of the city’s 1.5 million daily cycle trips are made using dockless e‑bikes.

Nevertheless, campaigners urge operators to take stronger action to prevent the accumulation of their bikes on pavements and roads.

“Irresponsibly parked e‑bikes create numerous problems,” said Zak Viney of the campaign group Living Streets. “They obstruct safe walking and wheeling on the streets.”

Erik Matthies, policy lead at the Royal National Institute of Blind People, said the increase in abandoned e‑bikes is overwhelming blind and partially sighted individuals, as well as older adults and wheelchair users.

“People are suffering collisions and injuries because of e‑bikes left on pavements, and the situation is deteriorating,” he said. “Blind individuals tell us they no longer venture out alone and have abandoned many of their usual journeys.”

The Guardian submitted freedom‑of‑information requests to all 21 London boroughs with dockless‑bike contracts, plus the City of London, which oversees the capital’s financial district. Nine boroughs reported that they had neither seized nor fined any operators, while three either missed the deadline or stated they did not possess the relevant data.

Camden councillor James Slater said e‑bikes had been abandoned in resident parking bays and had impeded traffic on roads. “During the solar eclipse we saw swarms of e‑bikes around Primrose Hill and Hampstead Heath,” he noted. “Operators bear the responsibility of ensuring their bikes do not become a public nuisance.”

E‑bike operators contend that councils are not investing enough in additional parking bays, which could help curb the accumulation of poorly parked bikes on pavements.

Meanwhile, councils have lamented the absence of a centralized regulatory framework across London, arguing that such a system would simplify planning.

Slater described London’s regulatory landscape as a “jigsaw puzzle.”

“We need a London‑wide approach,” he said. “It is challenging for the city’s 32 councils to maintain slightly different policies, and in some areas different operators operate across borough boundaries.”

The English Devolution Bill, enacted in April, grants local authorities in England new powers to license rental e‑bike operators and to establish requirements concerning parking, safety and accessibility.

In London, the new licensing authority is Transport for London, which is expected to devise a single, capital‑wide regulatory framework for dockless e‑bike operators. The Mayor’s office said it is collaborating closely with TfL and the Department for Transport on the secondary legislation needed to introduce “much‑needed controls as swiftly as possible”.

A spokesperson added: “Safety improvements must be at the core of any future regulation so the industry can continue to thrive. The Mayor continues to urge all dockless operators to engage fully with London boroughs and TfL to ensure their services serve all Londoners.”

Lime pointed out that, as the largest e‑bike operator in London, its seizure numbers should be viewed in context, noting that most incidents occurred at overcrowded parking bays.

“The vast majority of our riders conclude their trips responsibly, and only a tiny fraction of rides lead to seizures or fines imposed by councils,” a spokesperson said.

“We acknowledge that parking remains an industry‑wide challenge, primarily because the supply of e‑bike parking has not kept pace with rising demand for rental e‑bike services.”

Forest added that the number of designated parking bays has likewise lagged behind demand, and that it is “working closely with boroughs to promote responsible parking and ensure our service works for everyone.”

A Voi spokesperson stated: “Voi vehicles must never be parked in a manner that obstructs access routes, lift areas, pavements, entrances or emergency routes. We recognise the disproportionate impact poor parking can have on disabled individuals, parents with pushchairs and users of mobility aids, and we treat every obstruction report seriously.”

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