Street enforcement officers seize 1,000 rental e-bikes

Admin

November 18, 2025
3 min read

Street enforcement officers seize 1,000 rental e-bikes

Kensington & Chelsea council’s street enforcement officers have seized 1,000 rental e-bikes after a crackdown. This comes in response to complaints from “fed up” residents reporting the bikes as “trip hazards” and “highways obstruction.”

Since January, the council says it has been taking “dangerously parked” rental e-bikes from Lime, Bolt, Forest and Voi off the streets and placing them in storage. To have a bike released, its provider has to pay a one-off seizure fee, plus a daily storage fee if it is not collected within two weeks. The council has collected over £81,000 from these fees with the income being spent “to increase the enforcement.

Labour MPs Warn Against Cutting Affordable Housing Quotas

Lawmakers push back on proposed reductions to affordable housing requirements, stressing the impact on residents and future developments.

Kensington and Chelsea Approves New Council Tax Rise

One of London’s wealthiest boroughs confirms a council tax increase, with leaders citing funding pressures and public service demands.

Half of Landlords Skip Letting Agents Despite Industry Growth

A new report reveals that many landlords still avoid professional letting agents, raising questions about support, standards, and regulation.

“Our residents are sick of rental e-bikes being left obstructing roads and pavements,” Cllr Johnny Thalassites, lead member for planning and environment, said. “We had no choice but to take tough action and our team has seized 1,000 dangerously parked bikes. It is making a difference with operators working with us to clear overflowing bays more regularly and posting their staff in hot spots.

“E-bikes have boomed and they are a convenient way for people to get around, but legislation is lagging behind. Long term, we need a solution from Government about how the demand and operations are managed by the providers.”

The enforcement team is made up of the council’s street enforcement officers and has been “bolstered” since July thanks to additional resources from the council’s contract with Kingdom’s local authority support services. Officers are informed through reports from residents or by patrolling the streets of the borough, especially in “hotspot areas” including around Harrods. You can also report an issue with the streets online. Bikes are removed in accordance with the highway act.

There are 246 rental e-bike parking bays in Kensington & Chelsea out of an estimated 3,000 across London. When bikes are outside a bay but do not cause an obstruction, street enforcement officers report it to its operator who has to move it within two to six hours or face more bikes being seized.

For more updates on Kensington & Chelsea, visit EyeOnLondon Kensington & Chelsea.