Westminster Council Seizes Over 1,000 Dockless Bikes

Westminster City Council has removed more than 1,000 dockless bikes from its streets since May as part of a campaign against obstructive parking. During the same period, the council issued over 5,300 fixed penalty notices to bike operators, accumulating fines exceeding £53,000. The authority stated that bikes would continue to be removed if they caused an obstruction, with operators responsible for their retrieval.

Increased Enforcement and Operator Fines

Caroline Sargent, Westminster Council's deputy leader and cabinet member for enforcement, stated that the council had fulfilled its promise to take action against badly parked dockless bikes. She highlighted that each of the 1,000 seizures represented an inconvenience to residents, such as parents with pushchairs or wheelchair users being blocked. Ms Sargent emphasised that bike companies must assume responsibility for their property. The council recently doubled its enforcement patrols, resulting in a record seizure of 217 bikes in one week.

Wider Concerns Over Hired Cycles

The council's figures were released on the same day that dockless bike operators and transport officials met at a London Assembly meeting to discuss the regulation of such schemes across the capital. Statistics presented at the meeting indicated that 18% of all cycle collisions in 2025 involved a hired cycle, a significant increase from 2% in 2017. Since 2017, six deaths have been recorded, with riders accounting for approximately 80% of those injured in 2025.

Calls for Unified Regulation

Currently, individual London boroughs manage their own agreements with operators, leading to varied rules across the city. Representatives from dockless bike companies, including Lime, Voi, and Bolt, expressed to the London Assembly Transport Committee that this 'patchwork' of regulations created difficulties for both operators and users. They noted that parking infrastructure had not kept pace with demand and that companies were seeking more designated spaces. Dr Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, acknowledged the popularity of dockless bikes, stating they form a key part of London's sustainable transport network and are used for one in ten bike journeys, with potential for further growth.

Future Regulatory Framework

The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 has provided the transport secretary with the authority to grant Transport for London (TfL) statutory powers to establish a framework for dockless micro-mobility schemes. However, these powers are not anticipated to be fully implemented until 2028 at the earliest. Dr Norman has reportedly written to the government urging them to expedite this process, noting that further legislation is required before the new powers can be enacted.