Local residents and disability charities have raised serious concerns over blocked pavements caused by badly parked e-bikes across Haringey

Haringey Council has pledged it will take “strong action” to tackle the “problematic parking” of dockless e-bikes in Haringey.

Dozens of more designated parking spaces are being created to help clear the borough’s streets of dumped e-bikes, particularly Lime bikes which have proliferated across the borough since a trial began last year.

The council now says at least 60 additional bays will be in place by the end of the year, taking the total to 100, with an aim of having 300 in place by December 2026.

Bays will be targeted at areas where problem parking persists. Under current rules, e-bikes must be parked in a mandatory bay if the journey ends within 100 metres of one of them, or riders could face a fine.

At the same time, e-bike operators such as Lime and Forest have more than 20 staff working throughout the day in Haringey to check and remove poorly parked bikes from streets as part of a bespoke improvement action plan for the borough.

Since both Lime and Forest expanded into the borough last year, residents have become increasingly angry at dockless bikes being left strewn across pavements. If parked incorrectly the bikes often create accessibility issues, particularly for partially-sighted pedestrians and wheelchair users.

Lime has claimed that “users that break the rules and park inconsiderately are fined and banned from using our service”.

Mike Hakata, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “There are well over 150,000 journeys a month by dockless e-bikes in Haringey, so it is clear they are becoming an ever-increasing and important mode of sustainable, active travel around the borough.

“We know the benefits this brings for our residents but having so many on our streets also comes at a price. Where improper parking of e-bikes on pavements occurs, it creates significant accessibility issues for pedestrians, disabled and older people, as well as those with buggies and pushchairs navigating local streets.

“We are listening to and responding to residents by ensuring there are dozens of new parking bays so that existing enforcement powers can be used to address the concerns raised about poor parking of e-bikes.

“Along with other councils, we have campaigned for more controls and the introduction of regulation, so are pleased that the government is bringing forward new legislation that we can use to ensure that these schemes work for the benefit of everybody.”

Residents can find out more about the use and parking of dockless e-bikes on the council’s dedicated web page:
Visit haringey.gov.uk/streets-roads-travel/haringey-streets-people/dockless-bikes

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