Borough's e-bike bans creating chaos, says comic

Ó Briain commented on the situation in a post on X

TV presenter Dara Ó Briain has complained that contrasting decisions on licensing electric bikes by councils on either side of the Thames have created a situation reminiscent of Cold War Berlin.

In a post on social media, the comedian likened the stacking up of rental e-bikes at a bridge between the boroughs of Hounslow and Richmond in south-west London to Checkpoint Charlie, the famous crossing point in the Berlin Wall.

Hounslow has given permission for Forest and Voi's e-bikes to be used in its area, while Richmond has licensed rival company Lime.

Lime has urged councils to collaborate so riders can "travel seamlessly across boroughs" rather than face a "patchwork of boundaries".

Lime bikes have been abandoned near the south entrance to Chiswick Bridge in west London

Richmond said it had agreed to a request by Hounslow for its bikes' electric motors to cut out if riders enter the borough.

This causes the bikes to become heavy to ride, resulting in many users ending their trips, and while some park them appropriately others have dumped the bikes in bushes.

In his post on X, Ó Briain said: "Hounslow Council have banned Lime bikes, and licensed Forest and Voi; neighbouring Richmond has licensed Lime and banned the others.

"So every bridge is Checkpoint Charlie, with loads of Lime bikes parked on one side and loads of Forest and Voi on the other. Top work everyone!"

Checkpoint Charlie became a famous symbol of the Cold War and the divided city

Checkpoint Charlie was a designated crossing that could be used by foreigners and allied troops to move between East and West Berlin between 1961 and 1989, when the city was divided by the Berlin Wall.

These days it is a major tourist destination in the German capital.

Richard Dilks, chief executive of shared transport charity CoMoUK, said: "This rather bizarre set of circumstances is an unfortunate outcome of the current situation in London, where regulation of bike sharing schemes is decided at borough level."

He said the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill going through Parliament could make Transport for London (TfL) the capital's licensing authority for rental e-bikes, enabling a "more coherent pan-London approach" to be designed.

Some bikes have been abandoned in bushes close to west London bridges

A spokesperson for Lime said the existing scenario was "frustrating for riders".

She said: "We've already been contacted by many of them who are disappointed at the new rules.

"They should not have to experience London as a patchwork of boundaries.

"We want to see councils work together so that residents can travel seamlessly across boroughs, without having to stop at borders."

Alex Berwin, head of policy at Forest, said the issue was "exactly why we have been calling for a pan-London approach to regulation".

He went on: "We need a single regulatory framework, one enforcement model and one operational rulebook across the capital, whilst ensuring services support the local needs of each borough."

A Voi spokesperson said its users were "free to cycle across borough boundaries, but parking must be in designated bays within participating areas".

He added: "We're working with local leaders and TfL towards a London-wide scheme to make cross-borough journeys simpler."

Hounslow Council and Richmond Council have been approached for a comment.

Rental e-bike companies say they encourage people to switch from cars to a more sustainable form of travel, but there have been long-standing concerns about users blocking pavements with the bikes after they finish their rides.

In June TfL said it had started issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to Lime and Forest for e-bikes abandoned on the city's roads.

TfL said it had given 333 FPNs to both companies and it had also sent out more than 190 warning letters to the two operators.

The transport authority said it set out a new enforcement policy last year for dockless rental e-bikes parking on the road network.