New rule changes could see e-bikes banned from pavement parking as riders 'make life difficult'
Residents complained about the number of bikes blocking pavements
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Electric bikes could soon be banned from parking on pavements as local authorities look to crack down on vehicles which cause obstruction to pedestrians and other road users.
Wandsworth Council is currently in the process of a new public consultation which would look to prevent e-bikes from being left on pavements.
In its stead, the council said it is looking at installing 60 dedicated parking bays across Wandsworth for dockless e-bikes.
The ban comes after the number of riders who left their e-bikes on the pavement carelessly skyrocketed.
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The =council is giving residents until September 1 to respond to the consultation
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The bikes obstruct pedestrians, particularly parents with buggies, wheelchair users and residents who are blind or visually impaired.
To reduce these obstructions the council has drawn up a list of 60 locations across the borough where the bikes can be safely parked without impacting pedestrians.
The proposed locations include Balham, Falconbrook, Furzedown, Lavender, Roehampton, Southfields and St Mary’s. Also included are Thamesfield, Tooting Broadway, Trinity, Wandle, Wandsworth Common and West Putney.
Jenny Yates, Wandsworth’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We think e-bikes offer a really usefuland environmentally-friendlytravel optionfor both residents and visitors to the borough.
“But we know that in some cases they are abandoned or parked inconsiderately and end up blocking pavements, making life difficult for pedestrians, especially those with disabilities.”
Londoners can ride an electric bike if they are 14 or over and if they meet certain requirements. Electric bikes do not require people to have a licence and it does not need to be registered, taxed or insured.
To comply with UK rules, e-bikes must have a maximum power output of 250 watts and should not be able to travel faster than 15.5mph.
If the bike is modified to go faster than this, the rider can expect to have it seized by police and be slapped with a £300 fine.
Yates added: “I’m pleased to say we have drawn up a further list of dedicated spaces where e-bikes can be picked up and dropped off without causing obstructions to others.
“At the same time, we are continuing to work closely with e-bike operators to ensure that customers are more responsible when they end their journeys.”
Drivers will have until September 1, 2024, to share their feedback online for the consultation.
The council detailed: “All feedback received will be carefully considered before a final decision is made about the proposed locations for the bays.”
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The council announced that it would install dedicated space for e-bike parking
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E-bikes which meet the Government requirements can be classed as a normal pedal bike. This means rides can use them on cycle paths and anywhere else pedal bikes are allowed.