In short:
- 55 locations planned for dockless cycle parking, mostly in Deptford, Greenwich and Blackheath
- a total of 200 parking bays are planned across the borough
- Greenwich Council is also planning to sign a deal with Lime, which would mean users cannot park outside the bays
The locations of Greenwich’s first dockless hire bike parking bays have been quietly released by the council – with a warning that they will be made compulsory for Lime bike users.
Plans to strike a deal with Lime about creating bays were finally confirmed last month, three years after the San Francisco-based tech giant started operating its bikes in the northwest of the borough, with complaints from residents about dumped cycles blocking pavements.
However, the bikes have become hugely popular in a hilly area with unreliable bus services and infrequent trains. Transport for London has declined to extend its own hire bikes to Greenwich, saying it would want boroughs to fund any expansion of the Santander Cycles scheme.
Two years ago Greenwich first announced plans to sign a deal with Lime and its rival, Forest, but little progress was made. Earlier this year frustrated councillors backed a motion threatening to ban Lime from the borough if a deal was not signed by this summer.
The trial scheme aims to end the free-for-all in an area running as far as Charlton station and Kidbrooke Park Road, although hacked and stolen bikes can be seen further afield. Users hire the bikes with an app on their phone, which unlocks them and tracks their movements.
The area covered by the 55 phase-one parking bays covers most of Lime’s operating area in the borough, but not most of Charlton, where much of the borough’s retail is based, or Blackheath Village, another shopping area. However, a second phase could follow three months after work has finished on the first one, with the aim to have 200 bays across four phases covering the entire borough.
Users will be unable to park outside the bays, according to a paper published on an obscure corner of the council’s website on Friday. Each bay will be the size of a car parking space and will have space for eight bikes.
Transport for London has contributed £69,500 towards creating the bays. Eventually, 200 bays are planned across the borough in a further three phases.
The locations include several next to Greenwich Park, one in Cutty Sark Gardens and two behind Greenwich station. There will be six parking bays in Deptford, including on the borough boundary at Watergate Street and off Deptford Church Street, where Lewisham Council is building a segregated cycle route. Lewisham already has dedicated bays for Lime bikes.
But further east there are fewer spots, with only two on the Greenwich Peninsula – in Greenwich Millennium Village – while in Charlton the only bays are on Anchor & Hope Lane, close to the Thames, and the south end of Eastcombe Avenue. There is also only one bay at the Royal Standard in Blackheath, another important shopping area.
A consultation will run alongside the trial, which will help decide if the parking bays are to be made permanent.
“The shared dockless e-bike market is currently unregulated, and the borough has limited powers to enforce against issues caused by the services,” the council report says.
“This includes current issues of irresponsible parking seen within the borough. The approach set out in this report provides the best opportunity to influence the management of services to provide the best outcome for both users and non-users.”
Lime’s rival Forest recently moved into Lewisham and parts of Greenwich, but has no deal with either council.
The decision to sign the agreement will be confirmed next week, unless councillors call it in for further scrutiny.
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