Westminster City Council calls for harsher fines for "irresponsible" dockless bike parking

Westminster City Council looks set to escalate its crackdown on dockless bikes after calling for harsher penalties for poor parking, highlighting that some services charge riders who abandon their bikes in the middle of the pavement just £2.

The council has also called for dockless bike companies to agree to a 'fine structure' to ensure all companies are charging users the same penalties if they park their bikes irresponsibly. 

Penalty fines currently vary between operators, with Lime charging users £2 for a second offence, while Human Forest charges users up to £15 for a second offence. 

Unlike docked bikes, like TfL’s Santander Cycles, dockless hire bikes can typically be left anywhere on the street, unless the rider is in a restricted area.

Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality, said a warning and a £2 fine “are doing little to stop people dumping these bikes all over the streets of central London”.

The council is seeing thousands of dockless bikes left in the area every day, with many blocking pavements and roads, according to Cllr Dimoldenberg. 

"This is a safety hazard for pedestrians, especially for those with mobility needs such as those with limited eyesight,” he added.

"If we see bikes parked dangerously the council will confiscate them. But the dockless bike companies need to do more and handing out harsher penalties to irresponsible users is a good place to start."

In August, Westminster began seizing dockless bikes left blocking the pavement after being "inundated" with complaints about bikes being parked irresponsibly. 

Commenting on the issue at the time, Westminster said the abandoned bikes posed "significant safety risks - particularly for disabled and elderly residents or visitors". 

Adam Carey