Transport for London (TfL) must provide interim guidance on e-bikes until new licensing powers are fully implemented, a Mayoral candidate has said.
By Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter
Transport for London (TfL) must provide interim guidance on e-bikes until new licensing powers are fully implemented, a Mayoral candidate has said.
Sarah Olney, who has declared her interest in running for City Hall under the Liberal Democrat banner, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that Londoners cannot afford to wait for legislation to catch up before the Mayor of London acts on the issue.
Dockless e-bikes have continued to explode in popularity in recent years in London, and now account for a tenth of the 1.5million daily cycling journeys made in the city, according to TfL estimates.
However, campaigners have called on authorities to hold providers to account over irresponsibly parked vehicles, which can often block pavements and reduce space for pedestrians, especially those with mobility or sight issues.
Local authorities across the capital have seized 3,393 hazardously parked or abandoned e-bikes this year, a figure already 23 per cent higher than the number seized during the whole of 2025.
Councils currently have individual deals – Memorandums of Understanding – with each operator, though these are not legally binding.
This has prompted clashes between operators and some boroughs – for example, Voi has refused to stop activities in Ealing, despite missing out on a contract from the borough.
The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, passed earlier this year, has handed sweeping licensing powers to TfL to create a single city-wide regulatory framework for dockless e-bike operators in a bid to solve this.
The act empowers TfL to legally licence e-bike operators and potentially cap the number of bikes on London’s streets if necessary. It will also be able to dictate where the bikes can be parked, and fine operators who fail to comply either with parking or safety standards.
However, secondary legislation is still needed to bring this into force, with the network unable to introduce any measures until this happens. In June the Mayor admitted that the Act would not have an impact on Londoners until early 2027.
“The problem is a lot of the powers we would get flow from the need for secondary legislation,” he told the London Assembly.
“The good news is this can be done through committee rather than the full floor of the House. No need for primary legislation; it can be secondary.
“Our officials speak to the Department for Transport about what we would like to see in the secondary legislation – as she will be aware, once it is published it is very difficult to amend it – we are trying to get involved in influencing our experience in London in relation to this.”
In the meantime, Ms Olney said, City Hall should publish city-wide guidance on standards, accessibility and enforcement that providers can sign up to until the legislation comes into force.
“The Mayor doesn’t need to wait for every last piece of legislation to be signed off before he acts – he could publish guidance today on parking standards, accessibility and enforcement,” she told the LDRS.
“By not delaying until legislation catches up, operators, boroughs, businesses and commuters will all know what’s coming and can start planning around it.
“Every month of delay means more bikes blocking pavements, more blind and disabled Londoners unable to get around safely, and a missed opportunity to get ahead of the problem instead of just reacting to it.
“A single, London-wide approach – sharing best practice across all 32 boroughs rather than leaving each to fend for itself – is exactly what operators like Lime say they need to justify further investment. The Mayor can and should give them that certainty now.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The Mayor welcomes the government’s plans to give cities powers to better manage dockless e-bike schemes – something he’s been calling for since 2017 when the first schemes arrived in London.
TfL and the Mayor are working closely with the Department for Transport on the secondary legislation required to implement these much-needed controls as quickly as possible.
“Dockless e-bike services are helping thousands more Londoners to cycle, but it is vital that stronger rules on safety, data sharing and parking are at the heart of any future regulation to ensure the industry can continue to thrive.
The Mayor continues to urge all dockless operators to fully engage with London boroughs and TfL to ensure their services work well for all Londoners.”
