New scheme will tackle dangerously parked e-bikes and e-scooters

The majority of e-bike and e-scooter riders use them responsibly and respectfully, but this new enforcement scheme will address the actions of the small number of people who don’t follow the rules.

Since Forest and Lime e-bikes started operating in the borough, the council has removed those left in unsafe locations through periodically impounding badly parked bikes, as well as working constantly with the operators to get them to manage their bikes better and putting in 170 e-bike parking bays. This scheme will expand on this work by trialling a dedicated enforcement team that actively patrols the streets to tackle the issue of badly parked bikes.

As part of this initiative, officers will work to safeguard pedestrians by using their powers under the Highways Act to remove and impound e-bikes and e-scooters that block access on pavements and roads. This will include any that are: 

• Lying across the road, preventing other road users from passing safely 
• Positioned on the pavement in a way that forces pedestrians to step into the road to pass 
• Likely to fall over, posing a risk of injury to pedestrians 
• Placed in the road in a manner that endangers drivers or pedestrians 

Officers will patrol the borough daily to monitor for any of the above issues, but will also respond to online reports from the public.

Report a dangerously parked e-bike or e-scooter on our website

You can also contact us at: hello@wandsworth.gov.uk or call our main helpline: 020 8871 6000. 

Any e-bikes or e-scooters that are impounded will be taken to a secure depot and operators will be required to pay a set fee to recover them, meaning we can deliver this scheme without adding a penny to your Council Tax.

Cllr Jenny Yates, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “E-bikes and e-scooters are here to stay as a key part of Wandsworth’s transport network. We are committed to sustainable travel but it must be done responsibly. 

“Over 7 million trips have been taken by e-bike and e-scooter over the past year, and thankfully the majority of these users do finish their journeys and park correctly. 

“However, even a small number of badly parked e-bikes and e-scooters can be dangerous and cause obstruction to pedestrians, which is unacceptable. This scheme is about making sure that when this happens, we act quickly to remove them, so our pavements remain safe and accessible for all pedestrians.”

How else are we supporting safe e-bike parking and sustainable travel

To curb inconsiderate parking, we have already installed 170 dedicated on-street parking bays for e-bikes and scooters and created strict no-parking zones in town centres. Outside town centres, if there’s a bay within 100m, users must park the bikes in the bay. In addition, Lime and Voi e-scooters must always be parked in a dedicated bay, and these scooters follow strict safety standards, including speed caps, always-on lights, and licence checks for e-scooter riders. 

An additional 105 dedicated e-bike and e-scooter parking bays are set to be installed later this year, and residents will be consulted on the locations.  

This comes after we have already made progress to improve cycling and walking in Wandsworth, from the most ambitious bikehangar rollout in London to the biggest road resurfacing programme in London. 

We have also recently announced a pioneering deal with Lime, Forest and Voi to offer 50% off rides to eligible residents under Wandsworth’s Access for All programme, Britain’s best concession scheme, to ensure everyone can enjoy affordable, healthy travel.

More people using e-bikes and e-scooters to get around

This enforcement scheme comes as new data shows that e-bikes and e-scooter usage continues to surge in Wandsworth. Since the e-scooter launch in May 2025, over 37,000 trips have been made and over 7.7 million e-bike trips were recorded in the past year. For both the bikes and scooters, monthly trip numbers are now at their highest since their introduction into the borough.

The council will continue working with operators to ensure they strengthen their enforcement and safety practices to keep pavements safe, clear, and accessible for all. 

Find out more about our walking and cycling programmes offered across the borough. 

You can also contact the providers of e-bikes and e-scooters directly:

Voi: 0808 501 5724, support@voi.com or https://report.voi.com
Lime: 0800 808 5223, support@li.me
Forest: 020 8157 7491, cs@humanforest.co.uk