Lime has argued that Brent Council needs to make some changes after the local authority instructed the company to remove its bikes.
The council said that the electric bike hire operator must remove its dockless bikes in the borough by October 31 if it continues to ignore the council’s safety concerns regarding poorly parked and abandoned bikes.
There are currently 750 bikes within the borough since partnering with Brent in 2019, but there have been a flurry of complaints about dockless bikes being left scattered across pavements and roads.
Lime has now responded to the council’s claims that there is an “increasing number” of issues reported and its demands in order to keep the bikes in the borough.
It said that while it is possible to move to a “mandatory parking model” in Brent, the council needs to install “a sufficient number of parking locations".
A spokesperson said: “We need these locations in order to maintain a tidy and easy-to-use service that can continue to contribute to the council’s active travel goals. We can support this process by providing trip data and infrastructure funding."
According to Brent, Lime has had a “slow response time” after being made aware of poorly parked bikes in the area and being asked to remove them.
The company has been asked to make several changes before the deadline, including introducing dedicated parking bays and a no parking zone.
It has also been asked to introduce dedicated local resources to ensure any reported bikes are dealt with swiftly and increased penalties for those parking in inconvenient spots.
The council has also asked Lime to consider providing local training and employment opportunities and community engagement events – including a Brent Resident Forum where people can share their views.
Council leader Cllr Muhammed Butt argued that “residents have gone sour on Lime” due to bikes being left across paths and roads.
He added: “This is putting unsustainable pressure on council staff who are spending time cleaning up after Lime. Something needs to change as the current situation is unsustainable and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.”
A spokesperson for Lime said: "We are proud to have run a successful shared e-bike service in Brent for the last six years, with tens of thousands of local residents now using Lime to make essential journeys in the borough.
“We understand the critical importance of maintaining a safe service and avoiding pavement obstructions and are committed to working with the council to deliver the required improvements to extend our operations here.”
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