Officials in Brent have threatened to ban Lime’s dockless e-bikes as poor parking has obstructed pavements The screeching of rubber skidding on tarmac pierces the air on a quiet morning in north-west London. A young man on a Lime bike has suddenly overtaken a car in the next lane to dodge a roadworks sign. The driver gives him an earful.
Minutes before, a mum with a pram was telling me that dangerously driven e-bikes were a big worry – and annoyance.
Laura was taking her toddler to a park near their home in Kilburn, where the local council has told Lime they will ban their rental e-bikes next month unless they agree to a set of demands.
The council wants riders to park in cordoned-off areas only and increased fines for those who don’t.
Lime says it is willing to work with Brent Council but wants more of these parking zones to ensure it is still a convenient service for its customers in the borough.
Laura used to live in Paris where another controversial vehicle – rental e-scooters – were banned last year. Officials in Madrid announced a similar move last week and Melbourne banned them last month.
In all three cities, bad parking, as well as dangerous driving, were cited as key reasons why they had to go. As Melbourne’s mayor Nicholas Reece explained: ”People don’t park them properly. They’re tipped, they’re scattered around the city like confetti, like rubbish, creating tripping hazards.”A walk around Kilburn illustrates his point.Someone has left their Lime bike […]
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