This month, Labour leaders on Westminster City Council have admitted a series of failings on their management of rental e-bikes across our city.
The council has a private agreement with Lime, the largest operator, that limits the number of e-bikes that should be in Westminster each day and where they can be parked by riders. The agreement is unique to Westminster and was negotiated by the Labour administration. But the agreement is failing. All over Westminster, e-bikes are frequently left in over-crowded bays, blocking pavements, building exists and causing hazards for pedestrians, wheelchair users and occasionally vehicle traffic. It is one of the most common issues raised by residents.
“Every resident can see Westminster’s agreement with Lime is failing but the Council are refusing to act!” says Tim Barnes.
The agreement should limit the number of Lime e-bikes in the City each day to 2,000, but Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality, admitted this month that the number regularly tops over 3,000 - 50% more than the limit. No wonder there’s never enough space for all the e-bikes.
But it gets worse.
Labour has recently been demanding more powers from the government to tackle the problem, but they aren’t even using the ones that they have.
Under existing legislation, Westminster can seize e-bikes or fine the companies for causing obstructions on the pavement. Residents would say this happens every day across our City and even Cllr Dimoldenberg says that, “Bikes are parked in the most amazingly stupid places.”
So what’s he doing? Nothing! In a second stunning admission this month, Cllr Dimoldenberg said that they can seize problem e-bikes from Lime but the last time they did so was in August 2022, over two years ago.
So, now we know that Labour don’t really need the new powers they are demanding and are not even using the ones they have. No wonder Lime feels like they can walk all over the council - they push 1,000 more e-bikes a day in to the city and they do nothing about it!
This is clearly a case of gross mismanagement.
If, like us, you believe it's time to tackle Labour's mismanagement of e-bikes in Westminster, then please sign our petition below.
