Thousands of ebikes seized by London councils as anger rises over blocked paths
London boroughs have seized over 3,000 poorly parked electric bikes this year, a 23% increase compared to the previous full year. The surge in seizures has sparked conflict between local councils and hire companies, with operators blaming a lack of parking infrastructure and authorities citing the absence of centralized regulation. New devolution powers are expected to grant Transport for London the authority to create a unified regulatory framework for the industry.
- ▪Local authorities across London have seized 3,393 hazardously parked or abandoned ebikes so far this year.
- ▪Lime accounted for more than 2,000 of the seizures, followed by Forest with 978 and Voi with 103.
- ▪Dockless ebikes currently account for one in ten of the 1.5 million daily cycle journeys in the city.
- ▪Advocacy groups report that improperly parked bikes are causing collisions and restricting mobility for blind, elderly, and wheelchair-using residents.
- ▪The English devolution bill passed in April gives local authorities new powers to license rental ebike operators and set safety standards.
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| Canonical URL | https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/12/ebikes-seized-london-blocked-paths-lime-forest-voi |
| Publication time | Sat, 12 Sep 2026 06:00:26 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-12T06:07:50.967Z |
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Lime, the California-based bike rental company, accounted for more than 2,000 of the seizures this year, according to figures from 19 reporting authorities. Photograph: Xiu Bao/AlamyView image in fullscreenLime, the California-based bike rental company, accounted for more than 2,000 of the seizures this year, according to figures from 19 reporting authorities. Photograph: Xiu Bao/AlamyCycle hire schemesThousands of ebikes seized by London councils as anger rises over blocked pathsOperators blame lack of parking and councils bemoan lack of central regulation, as more than 3,000 badly parked bikes seizedLauren AlmeidaSat 12 Sep 2026 02.00 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleLondon boroughs have seized at least 3,000 ebikes this year, a Guardian investigation has found, as hire companies…
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