Ealing Council officers gain power to seize e-bikes
New measures allow for immediate impounding of e-bikes posing a danger or nuisance.
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Senior officers at Ealing Council have been given new authority to immediately seize e-bikes that present a danger or cause a nuisance to pedestrians. The decision, made during a full council meeting on Tuesday, allows for the immediate removal of offending electric bicycles from the streets.
Councillors voted to delegate statutory powers, which means that council officers can now impound e-bikes without the need for a court order. A council report specified that immediate removal is reserved for bikes posing an immediate danger. Other cases of nuisance will require a formal notice and potentially a court order if the issue is not resolved.
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More than 5,000 fixed‑penalty notices have been issued so far, with over £300,000 in charges and 1,000 bikes seized this year.
Operator responsibilities and new parking rules
Under the updated terms negotiated by Ealing Council with e-bike operators, hire firms will be required to reimburse the council for the costs associated with recovering seized bikes. These bikes will be stored in a secure council-owned garage located on a housing estate. The council is also transitioning from virtual parking areas to approximately 300 physically marked bays across the borough to manage e-bike parking.
The council has also updated its memorandum of understanding with e-bike operators, including companies like Forest and Lime, which supply 1,800 dockless e-bikes in Ealing. The new terms require operators to clear reported bikes left in obstructive locations within two hours, a reduction from the previous four-hour timeframe. In-app geofencing precision has also been tightened to 10cm to ensure riders park within designated bays.
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Additionally, Lime and Forest will fund dedicated on-street staff to rearrange mis-parked bikes. This development follows a previous enforcement scheme launched in February 2026, which aimed to fine operators for improperly parked bikes but resulted in no Fixed Penalty Notices being issued due to limited staff capacity and a focus on collaborative working.
Residents are encouraged to report obstructive e-bikes using the Love Clean Streets app, providing the bike's registration number to assist enforcement efforts. Voi continues to operate in the borough despite Ealing Council formally requesting it cease operations and withdraw its fleet.
Questions this report answers
+What new powers does Ealing Council have regarding e-bikes?
Ealing Council officers now have the authority to immediately impound e-bikes that are considered dangerous or a nuisance. This delegation of statutory powers allows for seizures without the need for a court order in urgent cases.
+Who pays for the recovery of seized e-bikes?
E-bike hire firms are required to reimburse Ealing Council for the expenses incurred in recovering and storing seized e-bikes. The bikes are stored in a secure council-owned facility.
+How is Ealing Council improving e-bike parking?
The council is transitioning to approximately 300 physically marked parking bays for e-bikes. Additionally, in-app geofencing accuracy has been increased to prevent parking outside designated areas, and operators will fund staff to rearrange mis-parked bikes.
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