Operators of a rental system for e-bikes in central London say they will act to encourage users to park safely after criticism from The National Federation of the Blind of the UK (NFBUK).
Lime, which hires out e-bikes, said it will advise its wardens to reward customers with a free ride if they remove hazards by parking responsibly.
Sarah Leadbetter, NFB national campaigns officer, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) she could not cross the road safely as e-bikes left on tactile pavements prevented her from reaching the tactile indicator at crossings.
She added that blind people are being put off visiting central London’s attractions due to “dangerous and awkward” e-bikes dumped on pavements.
She added: “It is stopping my independence. I cannot cross the road safely. The e-bikes are just left all over the place. It’s that fear of not knowing.”
Karl Farrell, who works for the charity said he fell over an e-bike and cut both his legs. He said: “It makes walking along the pavement dangerous and awkward. I collided with a bicycle that was parked side on – I didn’t get a warning on it.”
Westminster Council said discarded bikes were a “significant safety risk” and Lime said they were committed to removing wrongly parked e-bikes “within a short time frame”.
A spokesperson said: “We strongly encourage riders of hired bikes to always ensure they park safely and responsibly – never leave a bike in a way that obstructs the pavement or makes another person’s journey more difficult.”
The company added it was “committed to the removal of any wrongly parked e-bike within a short time frame”, and had recently stationed “Lime parking wardens to reward those who park responsibly with a free ride, to encourage safe and considerate parking”.
