Council removing 'underused' parking bays for e-bikes and e-scooters

The ‘micromobility’ bays were installed ahead of an anticipated expansion of Lime bikes into the south of the borough which has not yet materialised

A micro-mobility bay in Wolves Lane (credit Google) — A micromobility bay in Wolves Lane, Bowes (credit Google)

Enfield Council has begun removing ‘micromobility’ parking bays which its says are being “significantly underused”.

The bays are designed for used by e-bikes and e-scooters and were installed only 18 months ago in the south of the borough ahead of an expected expansion of the popular hire scheme operated by Lime.

However, Lime has still not yet gone ahead with an expansion into Enfield, and the council says the micromobility bays are underused as a result.

The bays are typically installed in place of normal car parking spaces, although some are also positioned on pavements.

A council spokesperson said: “The council originally installed 22 micromobility parking areas south of the A406 [North Circular] to help manage potential future demand from Lime bikes crossing the borough boundary.

“However, Lime has continued to restrict access into the borough. As a result, these cycle parking facilities have been significantly underused and, on occasion, subject to vandalism.

“Haringey Council has an agreement in place with Lime, and while there was a potential for overspill into Enfield, we have not routinely seen this and therefore allocating space to help manage it has not proven to be necessary.

“The council has decided to relocate the cycle parking facilities to locations where they can be better utilised.”

Some of the micromobility bays are being moved to local schools, where they can provide additional parking for bicycles and scooters and “help support active travel to and from school”.

Twelve schools have already expressed an interest in this, the council says.

However, local cycling lobby group Better Streets for Enfield has criticised the decision to remove the bays from public roads.

A spokesperson said: “While it’s true that Lime’s decision to block their hire e-bikes from being ridden across the Enfield border has led to the parking bays being underutilised, we are disappointed that they have been removed without any consultation.

“In any case, they will be needed again if, as seems likely, the mayor and Transport for London introduce an e-bike hire scheme covering the whole of the capital to replace the current confusing situation.

“The part of the borough where the bays were installed includes areas that are deprived or where car ownership is low (unsurprisingly, these often coincide). Bicycles provide a means of transport that not only benefits health and the environment, but is also affordable.

“Removing parking bays means that many people who would like to cycle can no longer find places to leave their bike close to their destination. We hope that the council will be providing alternative cycle parking to cater for their needs.”

While Lime bikes have been popular in Haringey, there has also been strong criticism over the impact of the e-bike hire scheme on disabled and visually impaired people, with bikes often left scattered haphazardly across pavements.

The council spokesperson continued: “TfL continues to explore stronger legislative and regulatory measures to help bike hire operators better manage parking and reduce obstruction of footways.

“The council will continue to monitor how this work develops and consider any implications for future shared micromobility schemes.

“In the meantime, the council’s priority is to ensure that existing assets are used effectively and deliver the best possible value for money for residents.”

Better Streets for Enfield added that they “welcome anything that makes it easier for children to make their journeys to school by healthy and sustainable ways”

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