Drunk London e-bike cyclists face fines in Government crackdown on bikes 'Wild West'

London councils are set to gain new powers to fine drunk e-bike riders as part of a Government crackdown on anti-social behaviour involving hire bikes.

The proposals form part of a wider push to tackle dangerous riding and poorly parked dockless e-bikes across the capital.

Ever since hire bike schemes were introduced in 2017, badly parked cycles left strewn across pavements have been a persistent source of frustration for Londoners.

Now, the Government wants to bring an end to the “wild west” of e-bike parking by giving councils greater control over how hire operators run their services.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “E-bikes can make getting around that bit easier, but when they block pavements or are used irresponsibly they can be a real frustration.

“I want to sort that by giving communities more control over where they are parked and making sure companies and riders play by the rules.

“While making the big, long-term changes to make transport better and more affordable for people across the country, this is a small but important everyday fix to make our streets safer.”

Under proposals set out by the Department for Transport (DfT), boroughs would be able to introduce minimum standards that e-bike companies including Lime, Forest and Voi would have to meet.

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Councils could also be given powers to set out penalties for riders caught cycling under the influence, riding on pavements or using hire bikes when underage.

This includes issuing fines to people caught breaking the rules.

The proposals would also allow boroughs to draw up fleet management plans, giving them greater control over the number of hire bikes operating in their area and where they can be deployed.

The aim would be to prevent streets becoming overcrowded with hire bikes while ensuring operators maintain safe and properly managed fleets.

There are also proposals to introduce insurance requirements for operators, which could make it easier for pedestrians to claim compensation if they are injured in a collision involving a hire e-bike.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander said: "Shared e-bike schemes have revolutionised the way people travel around our towns and cities. They are easy to use, get us active and help reduce emissions, but we need to make sure they work with the communities where they operate.

"That’s why we are taking decisive action to give local leaders the power to stop nuisance parking, tackle antisocial behaviour and make journeys safer.”

Transport chiefs say the new powers will give councils more control over how shared cycle schemes operate on their streets, allowing them to set rules that best meet the needs of local communities.

In London, the Transport Secretary is working with the mayor and TfL to give TfL powers to oversee and enforce rules across the capital, replacing the different standards currently applied by individual boroughs.

The plans are subject to consultation which launched today.