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London Mayor Sadiq Khan is urging the Department for Transport to publish regulations needed for city-wide licensing of dockless e-bike hire schemes. The English Devolution Act gives him the relevant power, but the licensing system cannot be introduced until the government sets out additional rules.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the Department for Transport to issue regulations needed for city-wide licensing of dockless e-bike hire schemes, saying the current system leaves the capital without consistent oversight. The change depends on secondary legislation from the government, so London cannot yet put the proposed licensing approach into effect.
The English Devolution Act became law in April and gives the Mayor of London authority to determine licensing and regulation for e-bike hire across the city. But that authority depends on the Department for Transport setting out additional regulations. A public consultation planned by the department has delayed the London-wide approach, according to the original report.
Khan’s office is pressing the department to “move quickly”, citing concerns that include poor parking, unsafe riding, collisions and limited protection for people injured in incidents involving hire bikes. Khan also said the rapid growth of these services has created safety and parking challenges, alongside a lack of data to manage them properly.
Under the current arrangement, individual boroughs make agreements with operators, which may pay for permission to operate in those areas. The report says this can restrict where customers ride and park, create bottlenecks around borough boundaries and leave a gap when an operator continues working after its contract expires. Khan’s proposed licensing system is intended to address that gap.
A Single Licence for London
A city-wide system could give operators and riders one consistent set of rules across borough boundaries, while giving authorities a framework to manage where hire bikes operate and park. That matters to commuters whose journeys cross local boundaries, as well as to residents affected by parking or riding practices.
The change could also alter the relationship between operators and local councils. Lime and Voi welcomed the mayor’s call, with both arguing that consistent rules would help manage services across London. The report says major providers see the proposal as a route to expand their operations, though the scale and terms of any expansion have not been set out.
Borough Agreements Leave Gaps
London’s current approach relies on separate borough contracts or memorandums of understanding with hire-bike operators. That means service rules and permissions can vary across the capital. The report describes restrictions on where riders can travel and park, including congestion at borough borders.
The proposed change follows an earlier report that a London-wide system would be delayed while the Department for Transport held a public consultation. The source material does not give a consultation timetable or say when the regulations will be published. Khan made his appeal while setting out ambitions for hire services to support cycling and establish a sustainable financial future for the wider micromobility market.
““The ‘Wild West’ approach to dockless e-bikes cannot continue.””
— Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
Regulations Still Pending
The timing and content of the regulations remain unclear in the source material. It does not state when the Department for Transport will complete its consultation, publish secondary legislation or enable the Mayor’s licensing system to begin.
The proposed system’s practical details are also not specified, including how licences would be allocated, what requirements operators would face and how boroughs and Transport for London would share enforcement responsibilities. The article reports concerns raised by Khan’s office, but it provides no figures on collisions, parking complaints or injuries.
DfT Decision Sets the Pace
The next step is for the Department for Transport to publish the required regulations. Once those are in place, the mayor would be able to move towards city-wide licensing, though the source gives no implementation schedule or details of the planned process.
Until then, operators and boroughs remain under the existing local arrangements described in the report. The government has not provided a response or timetable in the source material, so when a London-wide system could take effect is not yet known.
Key Questions
What is Sadiq Khan asking the government to do?
He is urging the Department for Transport to issue secondary legislation needed for London-wide licensing and regulation of dockless e-bike hire schemes.
Does the Mayor already have the power to regulate hire bikes?
The English Devolution Act, which became law in April, gives the mayor authority over licensing and regulation, but the system depends on additional regulations from the Department for Transport.
How are e-bike hire schemes managed now?
Individual boroughs make agreements or contracts with operators. The report says rules can vary by borough and that this can limit cross-city trips and contribute to parking bottlenecks at borough boundaries.
When will London-wide licensing begin?
No start date is given. The Department for Transport’s regulations are still required, and the source material does not provide a publication or implementation timetable.
Source: rss
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