Has Hounslow Council Made an Error in Dumping Lime?

Mixed views on new services as axed firm claims switch was financially driven

Lime Bikes continue to be used to reach Turnham Green station from Ealing borough

August 16, 2025

There has been a mixed reaction so far to the new e-bike providers brought in by Hounslow Council after it replaced Lime earlier this week.

It is early days for the new operators Voi and Forest so complaints about the lack of availability of bikes in the first week of their contract may be premature, but many regular e-bike users who travelled into the borough on Lime bikes from neighbouring boroughs such as Ealing and Richmond are unhappy with the new service.

The contracts allow for up to 1,000 bikes across the borough and previous usage suggests that these will be concentrated in the east. They will also be required to share anonymous data on use and parking compliance to help the council manage the scheme.

Observations on both Brentford High Street and Chiswick High Road since the switchover on Monday 11 August suggest that Lime bikes have all but disappeared and that Voi and Forest bikes are being used but are, thus far, less ubiquitous than Limes used to be. However, the familiar clicking noise of a hacked bike (or more recently a chirping sound) can still be heard as children continue to get free rides by learning how through TikTok videos.

The ability to illegally access the bikes is widely understood to be a key factor in the number of Lime bikes left in dangerous or obstructive locations and it is hoped that both Voi and Forest will have systems that are sufficiently secure to prevent this happening. So far, we have received no reports of hacked bikes in the area other than those belonging to Lime.

Lime bikes continue to be popular outside the borough and can still be seen in large numbers on racks on Acton Green just across the road from Turnham Green station. As the racks are in the borough of Ealing by a matter of yards, it is legal to park them there.

However, visitors to the area from Richmond, where Voi and Forest don’t operate, can no longer use E-bikes to get here.

An ample number of bikes from the new providers was available in Brentford this week. Picture: Brentford Today

Voi’s Responsible E-bike Pilot aims to address many of the issues raised by residents. Under the new scheme, all Voi bikes must be parked in designated bays, and the app prevents users from ending their ride outside approved zones. The pilot also introduces lighter bike models to improve accessibility and shares anonymised usage and parking data with the council and Transport for London. Voi says it has worked with disability advocacy groups to ensure the scheme meets accessibility standards, including signing the Sight Loss Council’s E-bike Charter.

Hounslow Council said the decision to dispense with Lime’s services followed a competitive procurement process and was shaped by ‘widespread community feedback’ from their Kerbside Strategy consultation and e-bike scheme trial in which residents requested ‘stronger parking compliance, faster response times to resident concerns and more tailored and affordable pricing’. There are currently more than 250 designated e-bike parking bays across Hounslow, and the council says it is reviewing enforcement procedures ‘to maintain clear pavements and discourage poor parking behaviour’.

The council says key benefits of the updated scheme are improved parking, lower prices, safer riding, sustainability, accessibility, community focus and new e-bike options. The new bikes are much lighter than the Lime bikes were provided and also seem to suffer from fewer mechanical defects although this may be a result of them being newly purchased to supply the area.

Bikes from the new providers left in parking bays rather than designated ones.

However, there have been some early errors with bikes being deposited incorrectly. The picture above shows bikes from the new providers left in regular parking bays on Netheravon Road Chiswick rather in a designated bay.

The council says it will continue to monitor performance and resident feedback to ensure the scheme delivers long-term value and supports sustainable transport across the borough.

Lime has adamantly refuted suggestions that it was dumped by Hounslow because of misparked bikes and says the switch was prompted by the revenue share arrangement offered by the other companies being more attractive to the council . The company cites a survey in which 27% of Hounslow borough residents said they had used a Lime bike and nearly 60% supported its continuation.

A Lime spokesperson said, ‘‘Despite acknowledging the quality of our service was higher in our bid, Hounslow Council selected another provider because it offered them more money.

‘‘This is a really disappointing outcome for the thousands of Hounslow residents that rely on our bikes daily to connect to other areas of London.

‘‘The number of Lime rides in Hounslow more than doubled over the previous twelve months, and we've seen a massive 95% increase in trips taken during commuting hours in the same period.

‘‘It’s important for councils to prioritise service quality and functionality when selecting operators as otherwise we risk creating unpopular, patchwork schemes that will reduce overall cycling rates.

‘‘We remain dedicated to working with TfL and our 17 local council partners across the capital to ensure all Londoners have access to sustainable modes of transport and to build a more accessible, inclusive and greener city for everyone.”

However, the new providers are both adamant that they can provide an equivalent, if not superior, service to that previously delivered by Lime.

Alex Berwin, Head of Policy at Forest said, “We know that the demand for sustainable ways of travel is only growing, and as the winning operator in Hounslow, we are proud to offer Forest bikes to local residents who are seeking more convenient and greener modes of transport.

“As a company founded in London for Londoners - our continued expansion reflects our commitment to delivering for the capital, and we look forward to a collaborative and successful partnership in Hounslow.”

James Bolton, Voi’s UK General Manager, said: “We’re delighted to win this contract and extend our London E-Bike Pilot to Hounslow. We will work responsibly and closely with the council to ensure our scheme works for everyone in the borough, stretching from Bedfont Lakes Country Park in the west to Chiswick House Gardens in the east.

“We want to congratulate the council for all their effort in proving there is a way to successfully procure and deliver micromobility responsibly in London.

“We’re calling on Transport for London to press ahead with a pan-London approach to micromobility, building on momentum from the English Devolution Bill’s first reading, to bring an end to the current piecemeal approach.”

A standardised approach across the capital is being discussed but Transport for London (TfL) does not yet have the legal authority to regulate e-bike schemes across boroughs. The London Assembly has called on the government to grant TfL powers through the English Devolution Bill to manage micromobility services city-wide. Until then local boroughs continue to operate independently, negotiating separate agreements with different providers. This may allow them to regulate usage according to local need and maximise revenue but causes frustration for many users who want to ride across different boroughs.