Hounslow Council’s partnership with Lime bikes has now seen the scheme expand to Isleworth, Osterley and Hounslow.
Published: Friday, 14th July 2023
Local residents and visitors can hire the shared e-bikes and enjoy the benefits that cycling can bring, from improved health to cleaner air.
The trial e-bike scheme is launching in phases across the borough with the first phase having launched in June in Chiswick and Brentford with over 40,000 trips in the first month, proving it to be a popular mode of transport.
The third phase will see it extend to Heston, Cranford, Bedfont, Feltham and Hanworth scheduled from August this year.
As part of the new scheme, Lime will offer 50 per cent off the cost of e-bike rides for lower income residents via its Lime Access programme. The programme provides eligible riders - including concession pass holders, key workers, students and the unemployed - with unlimited discounts with Lime, helping them to get where they need to go in a safe, sustainable and affordable way.
Hal Stevenson, Senior Public Affairs Manager at Lime UK and Ireland commented: “We are delighted to launch Phase 2 of our e-bike service in Hounslow. Our successful Phase 1 launch was met with strong demand by local users and we look forward to working with the Council to continue to develop the service in the borough.
Councillor Katherine Dunne, Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport said: “It is great to see the up take in the scheme in Chiswick and Brentford as cycling has so many benefits - from supporting people’s health and wellbeing, to easing traffic and improving air quality.
“I hope you enjoy the ride and I would also like to remind users to park in the mandatory parking bays and be considerate to other users.”
At the end of last week parking compliance was at 85 per cent and the Council is continuing to work on raising awareness around parking responsibly.
To practise responsible parking, users are required to park the e-bikes at mandatory parking zones located around the borough which are marked out either on a footway or a carriageway. Riders are required to take a mandatory end of trip photo, which are all reviewed.
If users choose to abandon their ride outside of a bay, they will be fined by the operator. Repeat occurrences will result in the user being banned from the scheme. Issues regarding abandoned bikes, suspected hacking attempts, noise and other operational issues should be reported to support@li.me in the first instance, who will be best placed to respond. This email address is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Council officers will be monitoring feedback on the scheme throughout the trial and working closely with Lime to address any concerns.
Find out more on how to hire an e-bike.
