Council to allow more e-bike operators in borough

A west London council has approved plans to double the number of e-bike operators working in the borough.

Only Lime and Forest e-bikes are currently available in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (LBHF), but two more firms could be given licences if they meet the authority's requirements.

The council said it would need to be given access to live dashboards by new operators to monitor fleets and users must park dockless e-bikes properly.

Councillor Florian Chevoppe-Verdier, who is in charge of the borough's public spaces, said the new arrangement would improve cycling and walking, adding: "We're making sure our streets work for everyone – whether you ride or not."

A new council officer is to be recruited to manage oversights of the schemes, under the plans.

New operators that enter agreements with the council will be allowed to run fleets of up to 1,000 e-bikes.

However, any new scheme must take sanctions against those who do not park e-bikes properly, the council said.

According to LBHF, there were 2,989 complaints about e-bike issues in the year to October 2025, with many of these reports about badly parked bikes causing a nuisance or obstruction.

Chevoppe-Verdier said: "Rental e-bikes give people a genuinely convenient way to get around the borough and will continue to play a key role in taking climate action and boosting active travel in Hammersmith and Fulham.

"But residents have also told us loud and clear that bikes abandoned on pavements are causing real problems – especially for older residents, disabled people and families with pushchairs."

LBHF officers recently said they believed boroughs that have exclusive deals with a single provider have experienced difficulties with riders bringing other makes of e-bike into the area.

"If an operator is to launch its service in LBHF, it is better that it takes place within a clear and efficient regulatory framework set by the council," a recent council paper read.

The paper also said existing deals with the borough's current operators would benefit from "further clarity of the standards of service", as well as a review of the fees paid.

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