Hackney (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hackney Council plans to reduce e-bike fares and fine cycle hire firms £80 per bike for dangerously parked rides to improve safety on east London streets.
In order to make renting electric bikes more accessible for locals, Hackney Council has instructed companies vying to run the borough’s electric bike sharing program for at least the next three years to cap rides at £1.75, which is the same as a bus fare.
The two winning bidders for the projected £93 million contract will also need to pay £80 to retrieve any e-cycles that the council seized because of dangerous or obstructive parking, according to Town Hall.
The council’s goal for a “fair, safe, accessible, equitable and sustainable” transport system that takes into account the requirements of locals, tourists, and companies was outlined earlier in July by Cllr. Sarah Young, cabinet member for climate, environment, and transport.
While enabling the council to keep an eye on bike parking, the laws would “further push the private sector to innovate in key areas,” according to Town Hall.
The council intends to build more than 1,000 more dockless e-bike parking spots by the time the new contract starts in October, and these will be governed “much more stringently.” Additionally, a greater range of bikes, including lighter versions, will be available to residents.
Lime now provides the majority of Hackney’s e-bikes. In addition, Beryl provides inhabitants with access to TfL’s Santander Cycles and e-cargo bike rentals.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked locals to weigh in on how the scheme has panned out in the borough. Eddy Ambrosi, who owns Frizzante Restaurant at Hackney City Farm in Haggerston Park, supported the efforts to “get greener”, but pressed the need for more designated bays.
“At the moment it’s a bit of a Wild West,”
he said.
Mr Ambrosi pointed to the issue of “messy” Lime Bike parking on the pavements.
“People aren’t responsible,”
he said.
“The shame is that it is also easy to steal [these bikes], and because of this Hackney is one of the most noisy areas because of the beeping. Sometimes people don’t think about it when they just shove it on the floor – it could get in the way of someone with a disability.”
The problem of parking and low-level crime was also raised by Sadiya and Amina Shaikh, who help run their family-owned clothing business, Lookers, in one of Hackney’s busy shopping districts.
“It’s a great high street, but it’s got worse with youngsters on e-bikes”,
Amina said.
“They’re okay, but people don’t know how to drive them. They expect you to move out of the way and park it wherever they want,”
said Sadiya, who complained of cycles being “dumped” outside their shop front.
“Someone nearly fell off one once, right outside, and it nearly broke the window. They just walked off.”
Amina proposed that drivers bear the cost of recovery when charging carriers to pick up bikes that have been improperly parked.
“It might not be £80, but it’s a little less expensive and more in line with the cost of living,”
she remarked. Along with the fact that “a lot” of phone snatchers were riding up the street on rental motorcycles, both sisters indicated that size was another consideration.
Regarding the council’s recommendations, the LDRS contacted Lime, Forest Bike, and Tier, who are based in Hackney or neighboring boroughs. The companies did not reply or declined to comment.
How will the £80 fee for collecting dangerously parked bikes impact hire companies’ profits?
Every incident of dangerous or improper parking that requires bike collection will cost an additional £80, which will quickly add up, especially in areas with high rates of parking violations or improperly parked bikes.
This fee creates a strong financial incentive for hire companies to improve their bike distribution, parking enforcement, and public education efforts to minimize dangerous parking, in order to avoid frequent £80 charges and protect profits.
To offset these increased fees, some companies might raise rental prices or reduce service subsidies, potentially affecting demand or affordability, even though Hackney Council is simultaneously capping e-bike ride prices at £1.75 per trip.