A major authority has declared that e-bikes "are here to stay" as part of new plans to encourage active travel across the region.
Wandsworth Council has revealed it will be moving forward with its active travel ambitions by supporting the use of e-bikes and e-scooters across the borough.
The support for the electric vehicles follows research which found that in the 12 months from May 2024 to May 2025, there were 6.8 million trips made by rented e-bikes.
The council is now planning to make it easier for residents to use the green transport models by backing that demand and making journeys safer and more accessible for everyone.
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WANDSWORTH COUNCIL
|The council has launched a new discount scheme for electric vehicles
Councillor Jenny Yates said: "E-bikes are here to stay as a key part of Wandsworth’s transport network. We are committed to sustainable travel, but it must be done responsibly, so we have worked with Lime, Forest and Voi to make sure e-bikes and scooters work for Wandsworth."
While e-bikes offer a more sustainable way of travelling, they have faced heavy criticism for inconsiderate parking on pavements.
To combat this, the council said it plans to expand its 170 on-street parking bays for e-bikes and scooters and create strict no-parking zones in town centres, as well as add more parking bays.
Yates had previously shared: "The council is supportive of residents making healthy and sustainable travel choices, but we are also clear that e-bikes must be used safely and responsibly, and residents’ concerns must be addressed."
WANDSWORTH COUNCIL
|To be eligible for the scheme, residents need to meet specific criteria
Meanwhile, the two main e-scooter providers, Lime and Voi, will have to follow strict safety standards, including speed caps, always-on lights, and licence checks for e-scooter riders to maintain their licence in the borough.
The council added: "We'll soon be taking tougher action to remove badly parked rental e-bikes or e-scooters obstructing the pavement.
"You will be able to report poorly parked or abandoned e-bikes and e-scooters to the council, and our officers will remove and impound them, at the operating company’s expense."
The authority explained that it has already made progress in improving cycling and walking in Wandsworth, with more effort needed to help encourage more uptake of electric vehicles.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The council revealed that it will be launching a new discount for e-bikes and e-scooters, which can be used by residents in Wandsworth.
The scheme, entitled Access for All, will enable eligible residents to get 50 per cent off rides on Lime and Forest e-bikes, in addition to Lime and Voi e-scooters.
The council also explained that anyone can be eligible for the scheme if they or anyone in their household meets the criteria. For example, a child is eligible if the parent or guardian is a recipient of Universal Credit or Disability Living Allowance.
Katheryn Anscombe, a Roehampton student, said: "I think the bikes are a key part of the transport network - we don't have many tube stations in Wandsworth, so being able to quickly grab an e-bike and cycle to the tube is so useful. It's a 45-minute walk from my house otherwise."
GETTY | E-bikes have been left blocking the pavement due to incorrect parking by ridersThe student explained that having parking bays for bikes makes sense as there are many "just piled up on the pavements, and it must be impossible to get a pram or a wheelchair around them sometimes".
Councillor Simon Hogg added that the discount and expansion are a "win-win". He added: "It's about opening up affordable, sustainable travel that helps our residents to access work and entertainment opportunities across the borough.
"We’re proud that Lime, Forest and Voi have agreed to join Access for All and to operate respectfully and safely. We are making sure that no one is priced out of healthy and sustainable travel."
To qualify for the discount, the council stated that the following people can benefit:
- Children in receipt of free school meals (all ages)
- Asylum seekers/refugees
- Looked after children/care leavers
- Universal Credit
- Jobseekers Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Support
- Disability Living Allowance
- Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance
- Carer's Allowance
- Child and Working Tax Credit
- Income Support
- Pension Credit (plus those eligible but not receiving it)
- Attendance Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP