Micromobility company Lime’s move into Oxford hasn’t been off to the smoothest start - with local traders protesting to the firm painting a new bike bay on a pavement in Frideswide Square.
Amanda Suliman-Bell, who runs Rainbow & Spoon boutique, said the firm came and started to paint white lines outside Lula's restaurant, “but we stood in front of them with our arms folded until they went away.”
The operator did set up a bay in Botley Road outside West Oxford Community Centre, but according to Oxford Mail, it’s understood it went ahead, “without getting any kind of permission or consent from Oxfordshire County Council”.
A Lime spokesperson however told ebiketips that it launched its e-bike service in Oxford, “in accordance with Oxfordshire County Council's Code of Conduct”.
A spokesperson for the county council said: “At the moment, local authorities have limited control over operators installing rental e-bikes. Oxfordshire County Council is currently in discussion with Lime with a view to establishing an agreed code of conduct for their operations in Oxford.
“Should people have any details or questions about individual Lime bikes, these should be forwarded to support@li.me. Any other queries regarding Lime’s operations should be passed to help-oxford@li.me.”
Speaking to ebiketips, a Lime spokesperson said: “We were delighted to launch our e-bike service in Oxford earlier this month in accordance with Oxfordshire County Council's Code of Conduct.
"Oxford is a city that shares our commitment to active and sustainable transport, and we are working with the council to build a successful scheme that helps them reach their green travel goals.
"Oxford residents have long embraced cycling as a preferred mode of transport, and we’ve seen huge demand for our vehicles in the first few weeks already. We are confident that our e-bikes will integrate into the community as a popular way to get around."
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Lime also operates e-bikes and e-scooters in several other cities across the UK, however it has been notified that it must remove its dockless e-bikes from Brent, London, by October 31, if it continues to, “ignore Brent Council's safety concerns and suggestions for improvements to the scheme”.
Brent has partnered with Lime since 2019 and currently hosts 750 e-bikes in the borough. But the council said the e-bikes have come with “significant safety concerns”, which the operator has, “not currently addressed to the council’s satisfaction”.
Councillor Muhammed Butt, leader of Brent Council, said: “Lime bikes left scattered across our streets are causing havoc for other road users, especially for pedestrians and disabled people.
“Residents have gone sour on Lime and the council is receiving repeated, regular complaints about the bikes left across paths and roads in a haphazard way. 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.
“The council has written to Lime proposing several changes to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the scheme in Brent, while also meeting its wider transport and environmental objectives of creating healthier, more resilient and more welcoming streets and neighbourhoods.”
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The requests included the introduction of dedicated e-bike parking bays, which would ensure e-bikes are parked safely in dedicated, cordoned-off areas which attract a high number of journeys and with high footfall.
A ‘no parking zone’ would be introduced in all other areas of the borough with any e-bikes left in this zone removed by Lime in an agreed timeframe. This would also support a new London-wide e-mobility contract being developed by Transport for London, London Councils and boroughs - planned to launch in 2026, a central element of the scheme is a requirement to provide dedicated, controlled parking for rental e-bikes and e-scooters.
Other requests are dedicated in-borough resources to manage day-to-day operations, and a commitment from Lime to give back to the local community. Brent Council said Lime’s response to these has, “not been satisfactory”.
It said it is awaiting a response to its latest letter to Lime with its position. Pending this response, it has provided formal pre-emptive notice to Lime that all e-bikes must be removed from Brent by the end of October.
