A mobility-impaired woman is pressuring Islington Council to hold Lime accountable for users’ careless parking of bikes which block pavements.
Since undergoing surgery in February, masters student Vera Macario, 63, has had to use a wheelchair and crutches to get around, giving her a new awareness of the importance of accessibility.
In June, Macario said she had to follow five men into a pub and confront them after they had left their bikes in the middle of the pavement.
She said: “They don’t have manners.
“The way the people behave is unacceptable.”
Macario says she has had to put her crutches aside and move bikes out of the way herself on some occasions.
She added: “This impacts not only me but a lot of people like mothers with their prams”.
Macario’s experiences moved her to post about her e-bike encounters online and even start a petition to penalise the bike companies.
Soon after, she began to receive numerous comments from people who had similar experiences.
Macario hopes Islington Council will follow Brent Council which has created a list of demands that Lime must agree to by October 31 or the e-bikes will be banned in the borough.
These include the introduction of dedicated parking bays, as Santander’s Cycles have, and larger fines for users who leave their e-bikes on pavements.
In response to Macario’s experiences, Lime UK director of policy Hal Stevenson said: “We’re really sorry to hear about these experiences, we never want Lime vehicles to obstruct anyone’s journey.
“Poor parking is an issue we take very seriously and we are committed to making London a more accessible and inclusive city for everyone, particularly as demand increases for cycling.
“We are working closely with boroughs, partners and other operators to address parking issues by offering funding to create additional parking bays.”
After a van collected only one of eight bikes left on Upper Street Macario says she spoke to Islington councillor Joseph Croft.
Croft said: “I’m sorry to hear of this resident’s experience.”
He also redirected the NW Londoner to a post on the Islington Council website outlining proposals for designated hire bike bays.
Macario’s petition is available at: https://chng.it/PYWpr5KV8K
Featured image courtesy of Vera Macario
Join the discussion