Transport for London (TfL) has indicated it may ban electric bike (e-bike) operators from the capital unless they take stronger measures to address antisocial behaviour and parking problems associated with their services. The warning comes as TfL prepares to implement a city-wide licensing framework that could bring all e-bike operations in London under its control within the next two years.

Will Norman, TfL’s walking and cycling commissioner, spoke at a London Assembly meeting on Thursday, emphasizing that any licensing system must include both incentives and penalties to ensure companies manage rider conduct effectively. “If we’re seeing repeated problems and challenges, I would want to understand what’s going on and what the company’s putting in place,” Norman said. He added that failure to meet behavioural standards could result in a review or revocation of an operator’s licence.

Currently, tens of thousands of dockless e-bikes are used daily across London, but their presence has sparked complaints from pedestrians about reckless or inconsiderate riding and improper parking. The current fragmented approach means many local boroughs lack sufficient legal authority to hold operators accountable for these issues.

Norman argued that a unified licensing regime would provide a stronger framework for enforcement, making companies more responsible for ensuring that riders comply with rules designed to protect public safety and order.

E-bike operators have generally welcomed the prospect of a pan-London scheme but caution that the availability of parking infrastructure remains inadequate. Alex Berwin, representing Forest, one of the capital’s e-bike providers, highlighted the challenges caused by limited designated parking. “We have paid quite a lot of money to different boroughs now and invested a significant amount of money in 2,600 bays across London, but that hasn’t been equated with an increase in parking capacity unfortunately,” he said. Berwin suggested that without further expansion of appropriate parking facilities, even riders committed to following rules may be forced into noncompliance.

TfL’s initiative forms part of broader efforts to regulate micromobility services in the city, balancing the benefits of sustainable transport modes with the need to address public concerns over safety and street clutter. A formal licensing scheme is anticipated to be introduced in phases as TfL assumes operational oversight, potentially reshaping the management of e-bike services in London within the next few years.