Council cracking down on dockless bike parking

We're cracking down on dockless bikes being dumped across the borough, making it easier and safer to travel around Greenwich. 

The council has signed a deal with Lime to better manage dockless bikes, and alongside this we are introducing parking bays for users to leave their bikes responsibly, rather than leaving them scattered around wherever they finish their journey. 

Our new parking bays will be convenient for users and should help make the town centre safer for pedestrians. We’ll start with a trial of approximately 60 bays in and around Greenwich Town Centre, which we know is a hotspot for dockless bikes blocking pavements. We’ll keep reviewing locations in line with other strategies including Sustainable Streets.  

Having dedicated bays will be more convenient for everyone and make it easier for those who want to use a dockless bike to get around and explore our beautiful borough. At the same time, we’ll be working with Lime to introduce no-parking zones, meaning users won’t be able to end their journey until they’re in a designated area.  

Councillor Averil Lekau, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Dockless bikes are popular for a reason – they make it easier and more accessible for people to cycle, which is a cleaner way to travel. But we can’t put up with hoards of dumped bikes blocking our pavements, disrupting daily life and being an eyesore. 

“This agreement finds a sensible balance that means people can rent a bike to commute or explore our borough, without giving users free reign to leave them wherever they see fit. Dedicated parking bays mean users will have to park responsibly, or Lime will fine or ban them. 

“Working with Lime on this agreement is a big step towards encouraging sustainable travel, but in a mindful and responsible way which is a win-win.” 

Dockless bikes are currently unregulated, and the council has had limited powers to tackle the common issues they cause. 

Entering a Memorandum of Understanding means that we can work with Lime on how their service is managed in our borough, agreeing terms for a 12-month period and subject to review. 

Similar agreements can be drafted with alternative bike operators in future. While the initial roll out of parking bays focusing on Greenwich Town Centre, other areas will follow shortly in line with other programmes like Sustainable Streets.