Lime signs Sight Loss Council e-bike charter
E-bike operator Lime is the first of a series of organisations to sign up to the Sight Loss Council e-bike charter. Our charter calls for operators, local authorities and governing bodies to sign up to our six key principles. This is to ensure the safety of blind and partially sighted (BPS) pedestrians.
The charter recommends the following measures:
- provide parking bays and racks where users should park e-bikes. These should usually be on the carriageway to avoid obstructing pedestrians. By exception, parking may be on the pavement but must be safe and segregated. Where parking is not provided nearby, users should park e-bikes safely and securely.
- put in place a Reporting and Monitoring framework of e-bike providers’ performance and make non-commercially sensitive results publicly available. This should include robust targets for speedy retrieval of abandoned or poorly parked e-bikes, or those not parked in designated bays.
- provide one universally accessible way BPS people and other digitally excluded residents can report e-bike incidents.
- commit to ensuring reasonable maximum weight and speed restrictions of rental e-bikes. Work towards implementing common restrictions as quickly as possible.
- work towards ensuring all rental e-bikes are fitted with some form of audible alert equipment. For example, a horn or bell that can be operated by riders to warn pedestrians.
- work together to minimise incidents of rental e-bikes used in pavement riding, including through trialling available technology and advocating for robust police enforcement.
Why we produced this charter
Blind and partially sighted (BPS) people have told us that inaccessible streets and public transport matter to them the most. This includes issues around e-bikes and e-scooters.
Confusing parking rules for e-bikes can create pavement obstructions in London which impact on BPS people’s confidence to navigate our streets independently and safely, to live their lives.
E-bikes and e-scooters are left abandoned at the top of staircases, outside shop doorways, and in the middle of pavements. This puts BPS people at risk of collisions, trips, and falls.
BPS people are also reporting anxieties around not knowing the location of e-scooters travelling around them because they emit no sound, until it is too late.
The usage of such modes of transportation should contribute to cleaner air, reduced congestion and a healthier environment. Despite obvious advantages, we wanted to explore whether e-bikes could pose a danger to blind and partially sighted people through misuse.
A female pedestrian who is using a long cane, encountering a Lime which is obstructing the entrance of an alleyway.
Collaborating with Lime
We are delighted that Lime is the first organisation to sign up for the charter. Our relationship with Lime began in 2021. We have since collaborated successfully on several initiatives relating to e-scooters and e-bikes to minimise the impact on BPS people.
It is clear from our partnership that Lime is committed to the safe and responsible use of micromobility vehicles. Therefore, it is fitting that they are the charter’s first signatory.
London SLCs’ collaborations with Lime include Lime’s participation in the London SLC April 2022 visual impairment (VI) forum on e-scooters. Other attendees included Transport for London (TfL) and wider operators involved in the London e-scooter trial.
We have also collaborated with Lime on in-app messaging sent to all registered Lime e-bike users about safe parking and the impact of inappropriate parking on BPS people. This educational campaign was shortlisted in the 2023 CiTTi (City Transport and Traffic Innovations) Awards. We also co-produced a TikTok video in 2024 on safe and responsible parking of e-bikes.
Haren Thillainathan, London SLC volunteer, said:
“As a visually impaired person in London, I’ve increasingly experienced the issue of poorly parked or abandoned e-bikes obstructing pavements.
“Feedback from our SLC work confirms this is a major concern for many blind and partially sighted people, affecting their daily lives.
I initially hoped the government would introduce legislation to address this, but once it became clear this wouldn’t happen, I didn’t want this to be an excuse for inaction. This led to the creation of the e-bike charter.
“The charter aims to bring together bike operators and local authorities to implement safer and more secure arrangements for the parking and operation of e-bikes in London and beyond, while developing long-term solutions.
“I’m delighted that Lime has backed the charter and agreed to become its first signatory. Having their support as a leading e-bike operator is fantastic and strengthens our collaborative partnership established over the last few years.”
Fiona Deunyas, Public Affairs Manager at Lime, said:
“We are proud to be the first signatory of this charter. Its sensible recommendations to provide increased dedicated parking through use of cycle stands and allow for flexible, non-obstructive parking where dedicated parking is not provided are welcome.
“We look forward to working with SLC and our partner Councils to implement these measures and continuing to improve the experience of our service for people with access needs.”
Following the success of the e-bike charter in London and its collaboration with Lime, Sight Loss Councils are optimistic that the initiative will find similar success nationwide.
Learn more about our e-bike Charter
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Publication date: 15 August 2024