Ealing Council has approved stronger enforcement powers to tackle rental e-bikes left blocking pavements and creating hazards for pedestrians, including disabled people, older residents and parents with pushchairs.

The decision was agreed at a full council meeting on Tuesday 13 October 2026, following complaints from residents about bikes being abandoned in inconvenient or unsafe locations.

The council will use Highways Act powers to tackle the issue. Officers can instantly seize and store any rental e-bike acting as an immediate hazard. For minor obstructions or nuisances, operators will be given a strict window to move the bike themselves before formal enforcement action is taken.

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Cllr John Martin (Norwood Green) has highlighted improperly parked bikes blocking pavements, noting unauthorized "incursions" by operators like Voi alongside permitted partners Lime and Forest.

These poorly parked bikes create obstacles for pedestrians, increasing pressure on operators to manage their fleets responsibly.

Under a strict new Memorandum of Understanding, compliant operators must now remove badly parked bikes within a tight 2-hour window (down from 4 hours) and deploy street rangers, while Ealing Council targets unauthorized fleets with new powers.

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Rental e-bikes and e-scooters became available in Southall in July 2024. Since then, marked parking bays have been introduced at locations across the area to reduce pavement clutter and encourage riders to park responsibly.

The council’s plans aim to keep footways accessible while allowing people to continue using rental e-bikes as an alternative to car journeys.

Residents can report badly parked rental e-bikes through the Love Clean Streets app.

The council says it will update its enforcement policy and continue working with operators to improve parking standards across the borough.

Photo credit: Cllr John Martin