A London property director has taken direct action against e-bike operator Lime, presenting them with a bill for nearly £8,000 for removing abandoned vehicles from his private land, in a sign of growing frustration over the capital's dockless bike clutter.
Private Landowner Takes a Stand
Russell Gray, director of property firm Shiva Ltd, personally returned around ten Lime bikes to the company's depot on Thursday 12th December, handing staff an invoice for £7,690. The charge covers removal, storage, and return fees for bikes repeatedly left on his firm's site in Southwark.
Gray told City AM the abandoned bikes have disrupted deliveries and forced staff into constant monitoring. "We've had enough," he stated. "Lime thinks they have carte blanche to leave their bikes wherever they want, and the council lets them. We deal with the consequences."
He revealed that despite reporting the issue, it took Lime 11 months to geofence his land as a no-parking zone in its app. Even with this digital barrier in place, bikes continue to appear on the property.
A Pattern of Unpaid Bills and Legal Action
This is the second time Shiva Ltd has returned Lime bikes this year. After the firm ignored an earlier £380 invoice for two bikes left in January, Gray pursued a county court claim. The dispute escalated to the point where bailiffs were instructed to attend Lime's depot to enforce payment.
In contrast, rival operator Forest, whose bikes were also parked on the site, promptly paid an invoice of £1,360. "Forest spoke to their lawyers and were quick to pay the money they owed," Gray noted.
In response to the latest £8k bill, a Lime spokesperson said the company was "aware of the concerns raised by the landowner" and was engaged in finding a resolution. They stated that any riders ending trips in the geofenced area were breaching the user agreement and could face warnings or fines.
London-Wide Crackdown on Dockless Operators
This private dispute reflects a broader regulatory squeeze across London. Councils are hardening their stance as dockless bikes clog pavements.
Westminster Council has begun issuing £100 on-the-spot fines to Lime and Forest for bikes blocking footpaths, emailing over 150 penalties in a single week—a move it says could raise £1 million a year.
Kensington and Chelsea has seized more than 1,000 bikes since January, charging operators release fees. Meanwhile, London Councils has warned that agreements with e-bike firms are being "flouted," leaving pavements obstructed.
The row also intersects with rising safety fears. Southwark is among boroughs worst hit by e-bike fires, with London Fire Brigade data showing a blaze involving an e-bike or e-scooter occurring once every two days since 2023.
As some boroughs experiment with formal agreements and dedicated parking bays, Lime reported £111 million in UK revenue last year. Gray concluded, "Councils in London are essentially selling their footpaths and highways to the highest bidder, which in this case is a complacent California tech company."
