Kensington and Chelsea Council have seized around 1,000 rental e-bikes from major operators including Lime, Forest, Voi and Bolt since the start of the year.
The Conservative-run borough has collected over £81,000 in penalties from the companies as part of a major campaign to tackle badly parked bikes.
The council launched the crackdown after hundreds of complaints from residents about bikes being dumped on pavements or blocking roads.
Locals said the abandoned bikes were creating safety hazards, especially for people with pushchairs, wheelchairs, or visual impairments.
Council enforcement officers now patrol the borough, removing any bikes that cause an obstruction or pose a danger.
The seized bikes are taken to storage facilities, and the companies must pay release fees to reclaim them. Officials say this is one of the largest operations against rental bikes carried out by any London borough.
The crackdown follows complaints from residents that rental bikes are being left across pavements and narrow streets, forcing pedestrians to step onto the road.
The council has begun using powers under the Highways Act to remove any bikes that block public highways or make it unsafe for people to pass. Officers also remove bikes that appear unstable or likely to fall over, as well as those left in the road where they could endanger drivers or cyclists.
The council has seized thousands of e-bikes caught blocking the pavement
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PA
The council’s street enforcement team led the effort, supported by Kingdom, a private enforcement contractor hired in July to increase capacity.
Officers responded to public reports made through the council’s online system and also carry out routine patrols, focusing on problem areas.
Knightsbridge, especially around Harrods, has become a particular hotspot for abandoned bikes. Enforcement officers frequently remove bikes from this area following repeated complaints.
When operators’ bikes are impounded, they must pay a one-off collection fee plus daily storage charges if they fail to collect the bikes promptly. The income from these charges is being reinvested into expanding the enforcement programme.
E-bikes have been found to be blocking pavements in London
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PABut not every bike is seized immediately, the council explained. If an officer finds a rental bike parked outside a designated bay but not causing an immediate obstruction, they first notify the company.
Operators then have between two and six hours to remove the bike, depending on the location, or face further confiscations. This process is outlined in a memorandum of understanding between the council and the bike companies.
The council did note that tougher enforcement appears to be having an effect, with operators deploying more staff to clear overcrowded bays and move bikes from problem spots more regularly.
The borough currently has 246 designated rental bike parking bays, part of a wider network of about 3,000 across London.
Councillor Johnny Thalassites said: “Residents are fed up with rental e-bikes blocking pavements and roads. We had to take firm action, and seizing 1,000 dangerously parked bikes is making a difference. Operators are now working with us to clear bays more often and send staff to hot spots.
“E-bikes are a convenient and popular way to travel, but the law hasn’t kept up with how fast the industry has grown. In the long term, we need the Government to step in and set clear rules for how these services operate.”
A spokesman for Lime said the company recognised that parking remains a challenge across the industry, mainly because of limited infrastructure.
To help combat the issue, Lime explained that it has introduced measures such as requiring riders to upload a photo of where they park at the end of a trip.