We are calling on rental e-bike operators to take urgent action to tackle poor parking and improve safety after seizing 3,330 obstructively parked bikes from the borough's streets since January 2025.
 
This year alone, over 2,000 e-bikes have been removed from our streets, with more than £381,000 in fines paid by operators through removal and storage charges. Despite this, residents continue to report bikes blocking pavements, overflowing from designated parking bays and creating hazards for pedestrians. 

We have written to rental e-bike operators demanding improvements and warning that further enforcement measures are being considered if problems continue. Operators have agreed to meet with us within the next month.

A wake-up call for operators

We support rental e-bikes as a greener and more sustainable way to travel, but says operators must do more to manage their fleets responsibly and keep streets safe and accessible.
 
Councillor Johnny Thalassites, Lead Member for Resident Services, Planning and Enforcement, said: "Seizing 3,330 e-bikes should have been a wake-up call, but we're still seeing bikes dumped across pavements and spilling out of their designated bays. It's simply not good enough. Nobody should have to step into the road to get around a badly parked bike, particularly disabled people, older residents or parents with pushchairs.

 

"We want rental e-bikes to succeed. They're a convenient, greener way to travel, but not at the expense of safe and accessible streets. We're ready to work constructively with operators, but we expect real action." 

What we are asking operators to do

We are telling operators to:

• Take tighter control of the number of bikes on the borough's streets.
• Prevent designated parking bays from becoming overcrowded.
• Remove badly parked bikes far more quickly.
• Provide access to live data so compliance with agreed bike limits can be monitored.
• Work with us on a sustained campaign encouraging riders to park responsibly and follow the rules of the road. 

Beyond this, we are also considering whether changes are needed to our existing Memorandum of Understanding with operators. 

Operators must play their part

As part of ongoing efforts to manage rental e-bikes, we're introducing 27 new dedicated e-bike bays following public consultation. 

Councillor Josh Rendall, Lead Member for Transport, Parks and Clean Streets, said: "E-bikes have a valuable role to play in helping people travel around London, but that cannot mean pavements becoming obstacle courses. We're doing our bit by introducing another 27 dedicated e-bike bays, but more spaces alone won't solve the problem.

 

"Operators need to manage their bikes properly, respond quickly when things go wrong and make sure riders park responsibly. We want to work with them to get this right, but the current situation cannot continue." 

Continuing enforcement

Our enforcement operation first began in January 2025 in response to concerns about rental bikes creating dangerous obstructions on roads and pavements. Enforcement officers remove bikes that pose an immediate danger or significantly obstruct pedestrians and other road users. 

The charge for seizing an improperly parked rental e-bike has also been increased to £100, reflecting the growing cost of removing and storing bikes. Fees collected from operators are reinvested into the enforcement service. 

Supporting our Council Plan

Our work to manage how e-bikes operate in Kensington and Chelsea is part of our Council Plan 2026 to 2030, under the priority of Clean Streets and Amazing Spaces.

In the plan, we committed to help keep pavements clear, improve accessibility and ensure Kensington and Chelsea's streets remain safe and welcoming for everyone. Find out more about this part of the Council Plan.