Voi rides on in London borough despite council order
Voi is continuing to operate hundreds of e-bikes in Ealing despite the council choosing Lime and Forest to run its new rental scheme, City AM understands. The Swedish e-bike operator has not removed its fleet after its previous agreement with the west London council expired at the end of July, leaving three companies operating in [...]
Ealing council has chosen Lime and Forest as the providers for its new rental e-bike scheme, despite the Swedish company Voi continuing to operate hundreds of its e-bikes in the borough. The council's decision to select Lime and Forest came after a review this year, although no grounds were presented that would have justified excluding Voi from the borough.
Voi is pushing for a reconsideration of the decision and aims to continue operating under a council agreement with Ealing while talks with the council remain ongoing. The dispute underlines the challenges faced by councils across London in managing the rapid growth of rental e-bikes, as they attempt to establish rules and regulations for these vehicles.
Unlike e-scooters, e-bikes do not currently operate under a single licensing system, leading to inconsistencies between boroughs. This has caused confusion for riders who cross council boundaries, as different operators are subject to varying rules regarding parking, fleet sizes, and data sharing. Voi has emphasized its commitment to high operating standards and calls for a London-wide approach overseen by Transport for London, in order to create a consistent framework for micromobility across the capital.
Written by urgent.news from City AM's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
