.jpg)
GREATER CONTROL: Mayor sets out plan to end London’s dockless e-bike ‘Wild West’
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has set out his vision for a London-wide dockless e-bike licensing system, calling for urgent secondary legislation to replace the capital’s fragmented borough-by-borough arrangements.
The proposed framework would give Transport for London statutory powers to regulate dockless micromobility operators across the capital. It would introduce consistent standards covering safety, parking, operations and enforcement.
Khan said: “The ‘Wild West’ approach to dockless e-bikes cannot continue. While these services are helping thousands more Londoners to cycle, their rapid growth has also brought challenges around safety, inconsiderate parking, and the lack of data needed to properly manage them.”
The Mayor has sought London-wide regulatory powers since dockless rental bikes arrived in 2017. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 now enables the Transport Secretary to give TfL powers to establish a licensing framework.
Further secondary legislation and government guidance must be introduced before those powers can be used. The Department for Transport and Transport Secretary are expected to consult on the details, although no implementation date has been confirmed.
Khan said: “It’s now vital that the Department for Transport moves quickly to bring forward the secondary legislation needed to make these powers a reality. London cannot afford further delays.”
Under the Mayor’s plans, operators would be subject to one set of rules wherever they work in London. The framework would seek to manage fleet numbers, improve bike maintenance, strengthen rider education and introduce more effective enforcement.
It would also require better data sharing to support compliance, transport planning and investment decisions. City Hall wants dockless bikes to become more closely connected with jobs, homes and public transport while allowing the rental market to continue growing.
Parking will be another central part of the proposed regime. The Mayor wants action against poorly parked bikes and street clutter, supported by data monitoring to identify problem locations and direct investment towards additional parking.
TfL and the Mayor have provided £1.7million to London boroughs this year to fund micromobility parking. More than 36,000 spaces are already available across the capital.
The proposed framework would also seek to establish a sustainable commercial model with transparent prices for riders, fair fees for boroughs and conditions that support long-term investment and competition between operators.
Christina Calderato, TfL’s Director of Transport Strategy and Policy, said: “Once we have details of the new licensing framework from the Government, we will work at pace with boroughs and other stakeholders to be in a position to take on the powers we expect to be given as a licensing authority.”
She added: “This will give us the ability to replace the current patchwork, borough-by-borough approach with a consistent London-wide licensing scheme, which will put safety first and tackle unsafe parking, while ensuring dockless bikes can continue to contribute to the capital’s cycling boom.”
Cycling journeys in London have increased by 43% since 2019, making cycling the capital’s fastest-growing transport mode, according to City Hall. The Cycleways network has expanded from 90km in 2016 to more than 450km.
TfL estimates that dockless bikes accounted for more than one in ten cycle journey stages during 2024. City Hall said the services could help more Londoners cycle and improve connections with public transport.
However, the Mayor acknowledged concerns about unsafe riding, collisions and the limited protection available to people injured in incidents involving rental bikes. Poorly parked bikes have also created accessibility problems for older and disabled pedestrians.
The announcement follows warnings from the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association about damage caused to taxis by rental bike riders. In a recent incident, a rider crashed into the rear of a London cab, shattering its back windscreen and damaging the boot lid.
The LTDA described the issue as a “major problem” and said bike identification plates can be difficult to locate. The Mayor’s initial vision does not specify whether the eventual licensing conditions will require more visible identification numbers or uniform third-party insurance.
City Hall said further details of the Mayor’s plans, together with shorter-term measures intended to improve current services, will be published later in 2026.
Khan said: “In the meantime, we will work closely with dockless operators and ensure that they engage fully with London boroughs and TfL to ensure their services work well for all Londoners.”
