Haringey Council’s trial with Lime and Forest is being expanded to the North Circular, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

E-bike hire firms will be expanding into New Southgate, Bowes and Edmonton after Enfield Council agreed to allow an extension of a trial scheme in Haringey.

Haringey Council’s ongoing trial with e-bike companies Lime and Forest is now being extended to the North Circular, with ten new cycle bays set to be installed in the south of Enfield borough to help accommodate them.

The ‘micro-mobility’ bays provide parking racks for bikes and scooters. Enfield Council has described them as a “smart solution” to “quickly” convert road space into cycle parking.

The bays provide either six or twelve spaces and fit into the same space as a regular car parking bay.

Haringey’s e-bike trial began in March and is running for 18 months. While Enfield Council says it has not itself struck a deal with the companies involved, it has allowed the neighbouring scheme to be expanded into the borough.

It represents the first time in five years that any kind of cycle hire scheme has been extended into Enfield.

Sabri Ozaydin, cabinet member for climate action and placemaking, explained that the A406 North Circular Road offered a more “natural boundary” for the scheme.

He said: “Neighbouring local authority Haringey Council has introduced their scheme with Lime Bikes, and we have agreed that, rather than using the borough boundary, the A406 offers a more natural boundary to that scheme. 

“To ensure any e-bike hire scheme operates properly and safely and there are no obstructions to other road and pavement users, we have implemented micro-mobility bays for these bikes to be parked.”

The ten locations where the bays are set to be installed are Warwick Road, Evesham Road and Russell Road in New Southgate ward; Princes Avenue, Pasteur Gardens and Lister Gardens in Bowes ward; and Wilbury Way, Ladysmith Road, Leyburn Road and Somerset Road in Upper Edmonton ward. 

Six of the ten locations require a permanent change to the resident permit bays currently in place. If the bays are approved it is estimated installation will take place in January/February 2025. 

One resident, Steven Murdoch, has objected to the Princes Avenue location in Bowes, arguing stations, schools or shopping centres were more appropriate than “a quiet residential street”.

Steven runs a massage therapy business in Princes Avenue and said there was “low footfall” and demand for a cycle bay.

Residents have until Sunday (15th) to respond to the consultation.

Enfield Council previously struck a deal with cycle hire firm Beryl Bikes in 2019 but axed the scheme after just three months due to persistent vandalism of the bikes.

Cllr Ozaydin said the council did not have any plans to introduce an e-bike scheme or similar of its own but would like to “in the future”. 

Transport for London (TfL) has been working with all London boroughs to explore a single “co-ordinated future scheme” to manage dockless e-bikes and e-scooters in the capital. Cllr Ozaydin said work on this was “ongoing” but no decisions had been taken yet. 

For further information and to take part in the consultation:
Visit Statutory Consultation on Proposed Micro-mobility Bays

No news is bad news 

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts. 

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less. 

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation. 

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit 

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.  

More information on supporting us monthly or yearly 

More Information about donations