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Westminster fines dockless bike firms over £53,000 in parking crackdown
The council has also removed more than 1,000 bikes since May, while operators tell the London Assembly that rules differing by borough are causing problems.
Key facts
- More than 1,000 dockless bikes removed from Westminster's streets since May
- Bike firms hit with over 5,300 fixed penalty notices totalling more than £53,000
- Teams took a record 217 bikes in one week after patrols were doubled
- TfL powers to regulate dockless schemes are not expected before 2028 at the earliest
Westminster City Council has fined dockless bike operators more than £53,000 since May and has removed over 1,000 of their bikes from the borough’s streets.
The money comes from more than 5,300 fixed penalty notices handed to the bike firms over those months, the council said. It recently doubled its enforcement patrols, and in one week its teams took away 217 bikes, a record.
Operators charged to get seized bikes back
The council said any bike causing an obstruction would still be removed. Operators have to pay to get their bikes back.
Deputy council leader Caroline Sargent, whose brief covers enforcement, said: “We promised we would take action against badly parked dockless bikes and we meant it.”
She said every seizure stood for a resident who had been inconvenienced, such as a parent with a pushchair or a wheelchair user who could not get past. In her words, “bike companies must take responsibility for their property”.
Dockless bike rules across London
The council published the figures on Thursday. On the same day, operators and transport officials went before the London Assembly Transport Committee to discuss how the schemes should be regulated.
At present each borough makes its own deal with operators, so the rules change from one part of the capital to another. The firms told the committee that this was causing problems for them and for their customers. Lime’s Alice Pleasant spoke of a “patchwork” of regulations. Bolt’s Georgia Heathman said parking provision had not kept up with demand and that companies were working with boroughs to find more spaces.
The London Assembly has cited figures showing that hired cycles were involved in 18% of cycle collisions in 2025, up from 2% in 2017. Six people have died since 2017. Riders made up about 80% of those injured in 2025.
Dr Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said one in 10 bike journeys in the capital now uses a dockless bike. He said there was potential for “really significant growth”.
A devolution law passed earlier this year allows the transport secretary to give TfL statutory powers to create a framework for dockless schemes. Those powers are not expected before 2028 at the earliest. Norman has written to ministers urging them to move faster, but he said further legislation would be needed before the powers could be introduced.
Key questions
How many dockless bikes has Westminster seized?
More than 1,000 since May. In one week its teams took a record 217.
Who pays to get a seized dockless bike back?
The operators. The council said bikes causing an obstruction would continue to be removed and the companies charged for their return.
When will TfL be able to regulate dockless bikes?
A devolution law passed this year lets the transport secretary give TfL those powers, but they are not expected before 2028 at the earliest.
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