Email Nickie your photos of the good and bad parking of dockless rental bikes.
Dockless rental bikes from companies like Forest, Lime, and Tier have popped up across the Two Cities. Unlike the well-established Santander Cycles, dockless bikes allow the user to end their journey anywhere, rather than in a designated space.
Nickie is keen to encourage more cycling for the environmental and health benefits it offers. In the main, most cyclists and other road users act responsibly and sensibly. An unintended consequence of dockless bikes, however, is an increase in irresponsible parking. Too often, Nickie receives examples from local people of dockless bikes parked on dropped kerbs at street corners, across the pavement, or on pavements in high footfall areas which restricts available space for pavement users. This type of parking affects every pedestrian but has a huge impact on the way mobility and wheelchair users, people with pushchairs, and blind or partially sighted members of our community can get around.
Equipped with images of both good and bad dockless bike parking sent in by local people, Nickie is lobbying the Department for Transport to update the code of practice that rental companies abide by. Nickie previously wrote to the then Minister for Transport, Trudy Harrison MP, calling for the code to reflect the unintended consequences of poor parking. Nickie is continuing to make the case with Government to champion regulation to prevent illegal and irresponsible parking with fines for both the user and rental company when an emergency service or local authority seizes a bike.
Additionally, Nickie is working with rental companies Human Forest, Lime, and Tier to make them aware of examples of good and bad parking so that they can take action where appropriate and redouble their efforts to push riders to park in sensible and safe places.
But Nickie needs your help.
Email Nickie your photos of the good and bad parking of dockless rental bikes so she can work with the Department for Transport and hold rental companies to account.
Nickie commented,
“Cycling is the way forward, but we must ensure our pavements are accessible to all pedestrians. Local people across the Two Cities are sharing with me their images of both good and bad rental bike parking. I have seen examples of excellent parking with users ending their journey and parking the bike in a sensible place. Too often though, I am seeing examples of illegal or irresponsible parking with bikes being parked in the road or blocking the pavement and causing mayhem for those with pushchairs, mobility and wheelchair users and members of our community who are blind or partially sighted.
“This is not about getting rid of dockless rental bikes. They’re a fantastic way to get around and offer an innovative solution to cleaner transportation. That’s why I’m working with the Department for Transport and companies like Human Forest, Lime, and Tier to ensure we iron out the unintended consequences.
“Send me your images of good and bad dockless bike parking so I can add them to my dossier.”
