Lime bikes could soon be banned in another London borough

"Richmond Council has announced that it is considering a proposal that may swap the neon-green Lime bikes - one of London's biggest e-bike operators - for its darker green competitor, Forest. In the proposal, Forest would become Richmond's only e-bike provider for the next three years after outbidding Lime in a council tender. Forest's bid apparently scored highest overall in the procurement process due to factors like service quality, pricing and value for taxpayers."

"Lime currently operates in Richmond, where riders racked up more than 1.5 million trips in 2025 alone. Naturally, Lime isn't thrilled about the prospect of leaving Richmond. The company warned that forcing it out of the borough could lead to 'unintended consequences' for riders, like the possibility of people cycling in from nearby areas only to discover they can't legally park their bikes without getting hit with a penalty."

"E-bike rules are inconsistent across London boroughs. Each borough decides which operators it wants to license, meaning riders can glide freely through one neighbourhood only to hit the breaks in a literal boundary in the next. In some places, e-bikes even power down when entering a banned borough."

Richmond Council is considering replacing Lime e-bikes with Forest as its exclusive e-bike provider for three years after Forest outbid Lime in a council tender. Forest's proposal scored highest based on service quality, pricing, and taxpayer value. Lime currently operates in Richmond with over 1.5 million trips in 2025 and warns that removal could create problems for riders crossing borough boundaries. E-bike regulations vary across London boroughs, with each deciding which operators to license independently. This creates inconsistent rules where riders can freely use bikes in one area but face restrictions in adjacent neighborhoods. Forest previously won a similar competitive battle against Lime in Hounslow less than a year ago.

Read at Time Out London