New Regulations in Central London Could Lead to £10,000 Fines for E-Bike Operators

Operators of dockless e-bikes in the Square Mile are facing potential fines of up to £10,000 unless they adhere to newly established requirements set out in a recent agreement with the City of London Corporation. The companies Lime, Forest, and Voi are now mandated to comply with regulations concerning parking allocations and enforcement; failure to do so may result in significant penalties.

In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the Corporation, there will be heightened financial contributions from the three operators. This follows last summer’s agreements with Lime and Forest as the Corporation sought to formalise existing arrangements, such as payments for using designated parking bays. This initiative was part of a broader effort to manage the substantial increase of e-bikes in the City, which, while offering an economical and active travel option, has also led to frustrations regarding irresponsible parking and abandonment of vehicles.

Significant Increase in E-Bike Usage

The Square Mile has witnessed a staggering five-fold rise in the number of dockless bikes counted in the summer of 2025 compared to two years earlier. The previous MoU established with Forest and Lime was for a year, with an option for extension. The revised MoU, which received approval from the Corporation’s Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee on July 21, has now been expanded to include Voi as an operator, alongside the introduction of stricter controls.

Among the new stipulations are increased financial contributions, anticipated to generate an annual revenue of £455,360, a new penalty system for non-compliance with parking regulations, and requirements concerning affordability and data sharing. Operators may incur fines of up to £10,000 if they repeatedly fail to meet specified obligations. For instance, if an operator neglects to issue warnings and penalties for improper parking, with discrepancies of 25 per cent or more between actual and expected enforcement actions, this may lead to substantial fines.

Calls for Enhanced Safety Campaigns

During the sub-committee meeting, Corporation members expressed a desire for the operators to take a more active role in supporting campaigns aimed at promoting safety and courtesy among riders. Common Councillor Jacqui Webster, Deputy Chair of the Sub-Committee, remarked, “We excel in this country at running campaigns for flu jabs, awareness about alcohol consumption, and anti-smoking initiatives. Why can we not implement similar efforts through our dockless bike operators?”

Deputy Tom Sleigh acknowledged that while improvements in managing dockless e-bikes in the Square Mile are necessary, the increasing number of riders is a positive development that aligns with the Corporation’s initiative for enhanced active travel. The members voted on the draft MoU and the inclusion of Voi as an operator, both of which were approved.

Results from the Fixed Penalty Notice Trial

The Corporation recently conducted a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) trial focused on dockless e-bikes from early March to the end of May. A report indicated that a total of 779 notices were issued to operators between March 23 and May 31, with 310 of these removed due to a lack of records regarding whether an FPN had been issued. Out of the remaining 469 reports, 129 FPNs were documented, and 258 bikes were removed within 90 minutes. There were 82 instances where officers could not return to verify compliance.

Lime emerged as the operator with the highest number of reports (449) and FPNs (90), followed by Forest (319 reports and 34 FPNs) and Voi (11 reports and 5 FPNs). The report concluded that the issuance of FPNs is now a standard operational procedure that will continue alongside the penalties outlined in the revised MoU.