‘A nuisance and an eyesore’: hire ebikes accumulate at London border between rival firms

Chiswick Bridge now a frontline in turf war as Richmond and Hounslow councils have licensed different operators

Scattered across pavements, propped against trees and toppled over in bushes, dozens of electric Lime bikes have begun to dominate a 200-metre stretch of road just south of Chiswick Bridge. This is the point where the motors on the hired bikes abruptly stop functioning as they cross the boundary between Richmond and Hounslow, a frontline in what residents describe as a turf war between rival companies.

While e-bikes for hire have become an increasingly popular mode of transport in London, fractured regulation means customers can ride them through some boroughs with ease but find that in others they cannot ride or park them.