Forum Topic

Hounslow ebike - FOI

If anyone interested I have response to Freedom of Information request about the selection process for Voi and Forest.  The request covered - 1. Details of the complete process and criteria used for the recent selection andappointment of Voi and Forest bikes and e-scooters to operate in theborough.2. Copies of any formal proposals, bids, or tender documents submitted by Voiand Forest in relation to their appointment.3. Details of the process and reasons for the deselection or removal of LimeBikes from the borough’s rental scheme.4. Copies of all internal and external communications, meeting minutes, reports,and decision-making documents related to the selection of Voi and Forest,and the deselection of Lime, from 1 January 2023 to the date of this request.

Philip Hodges ● 13d10 Comments

>It's not working well for David at the moment.No it's not and it needs to be fixed, silly situation.

Paul James ● 6h

It's not working well for David at the moment.

Janice Evans ● 6h

Sadly choice isn't an option. If you want to head east you must use Forest. If you want to head south you must use Voi. When I head north I use Lime.

David Lesniak ● 9h

>Sounds horrendous, get a cab David.Around 1997 or so I was cycling down Holland Park avenue. At the bottom just before the roundabout a taxi driver (not black cab) asked me how to get to Chiswick. I was heading that way so said follow me.He laughed and said "follow you?", he cleary thought that wouldn't work as I was on a slow bike and he was driving a fast car.Suffice to say I had to keep waiting for him at each junction to get him through to Stamford Brook Road and then waved goodbye and told him to keep going straight, leaving him in another queue...Bikes have always been a much faster way to move around in London if you can, if more people did those that needed to drive would be in much less of a bind on a regular basis.

Paul James ● 18h

No surprise, you seen the Voi bike carnage on the corner of his road. It's a F'ing disgrace. I take it no one is using Voi for the very carnage I see when passing. Whereas lime was ok because people were using them.It's like a Chinese breaker's yard for bicycles

Julian Pavey ● 18h

Jeremy Vine is on the case - the wants Liem bikes back and is having a right moan at Hounslow

Davy Jones ● 19h

Sounds horrendous, get a cab David.

Janice Evans ● 1d

Last weekend it took six attempts to get a Forest from Kensington to Chiswick. I both paid for failed rides (something that doesn't happen with Lime) and got charged multiple deposits for attempting to get bike after bike to no avail. Ended up walking back to Lyric Square. I personally believe Forest benefits from deposits financially even though they are refunded. Lately I've been getting phantom charges for unlocking and service fees even though I have active miles from a purchased bundle. Customer service is useless/pointless.This morning it took four attempts to get from Chiswick to Hammersmith:One Forest on Reckitt Road. Took it. It failed. Tried to swap it on CHR. (as mentioned, paid for failure).One Forest by the GBK. Dead. One Voi. Also Dead. Walked to Homefields past the ASB crowd at Chiswick Lane and CHR (was about 4am). One Forest at Homefields. Took it. Seat fell down about 30 meters after it was hired.All a needless failure delivered by LBH cabinet.

David Lesniak ● 2d

This morning we saw Voi bikes in L.B. Richmond and Lime bikes in L.B.H! So clearly all this tripe about geo-fencing is wishful thinking. These bloody bikes are strewn all over the place, creating a hazard on our footpaths. What is needed is a pan-London scheme and regulation, not a bloody free for all.

Vanessa Smith ● 13d

Thanks, Philip, for doing this. High time someone did.I filed a formal complaint against Katherine Dunne. It is my opinion she has failed LBH miserably on this topic. It took three bikes to get from Reckitt Road to Lyric Square the other day. Two Forest bikes failed and I gave up and took a Lime once in Hammersmith. Forest is a vendor that doesn't deserve a contract. Third-rate act providing third-rate service.The mere fact she is speaking to Lime again says it all. If she allows Lime bikes to pass through Hounslow then she further inconveniences her constituents and local businesses doing further harm.

David Lesniak ● 13d