Ealing Council Approves New e-bike Seizure Powers
Will be able to impound any dangerously or obstructively parked
300 designated e-bike parking bays are planned across the borough
October 15, 2026
Ealing Council has formally approved new powers allowing officers to seize dockless e-bikes that pose a danger or nuisance to pedestrians, following a Full Council vote on Tuesday 13 October. The decision marks a significant escalation in the borough’s approach to managing the rapidly growing e-bike fleet and the persistent problems caused by bikes left blocking pavements.
The strengthened enforcement policy was outline in a report submitted to the council. It recommended giving officers the ability to remove and impound bikes causing danger or serious obstruction. With the vote now passed, senior officers will be able to act immediately under Section 149(2) of the Highways Act 1980, removing bikes that present a danger “without delay”. Other nuisance cases will still require notice to operators and, if necessary, a court order.
Seized bikes will be transported to and stored in a secure council-owned garage on a housing estate. The council will also recover costs from operators, with e-bike companies required to reimburse the authority for recovery and storage.
The borough currently hosts around 1,800 dockless e-bikes, operated under Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Forest and Lime. Voi continues to operate in Ealing despite not being selected, and Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Cllr Dominic Moffitt, told councillors that the company had been formally asked to withdraw its fleet but had refused to leave.
Alongside the new enforcement powers, Cllr Moffitt has negotiated an updated MoU with operators. One of the most immediate changes is a tightening of response times: operators must now clear reported obstructive bikes within two hours, down from four. Residents are encouraged to report problematic bikes through the Love Clean Streets app, including the bike’s registration number to help officers act quickly.
The council is also moving away from virtual in-app parking zones and towards a borough-wide network of around 300 physically marked parking bays. To support this shift, operators have introduced highly precise geofencing—accurate to 10 centimetres—to prevent riders from ending journeys outside designated bays.
Forest and Lime will additionally be required to fund more on-street “rangers” dedicated to rearranging mis-parked bikes. This follows a failed enforcement scheme launched in February 2026, which was intended to fine operators for mis-parked bikes but resulted in no Fixed Penalty Notices being issued. According to the council, this was largely due to limited staff capacity and the reporting requirements in the enforcement policy, which emphasised collaborative working over punitive action.
The newly approved powers build on the proposals first set out on 9 October, when councillors highlighted rising complaints about e-bikes blocking pavements, forcing wheelchair users into the road, obstructing parents with pushchairs and creating hazards on busy streets. E-bikes now account for an estimated 25% of all cycling trips in Ealing, and remain central to the borough’s sustainable transport plans, but councillors say the current system has not kept public spaces safe or accessible.
The council’s wider strategy includes better geo-fencing, more rangers, clearer expectations for operators and the transition to marked bays. Crucially, the new powers apply to all operators, including those without an MoU. This means bikes from companies operating outside the council’s agreements—such as Voi—can now be seized if they cause danger or obstruction.
Council Leader Peter Mason said the aim is to ensure e-bikes work for everyone. In his weekly notes, he wrote: “The challenge is not e-bikes themselves. The challenge is making sure they are used responsibly and managed properly. We are putting in place arrangements that will enable the council to remove bikes that present a danger or obstruction and recover costs from operators. This is about getting the balance right.”
With Full Council approval secured, the strengthened enforcement policy will now proceed to the General Purposes Committee for final sign-off, with cost-recovery charges to be set following a pilot period.
Written with contributions from Philip James Lynch
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