Shared ebikes have become a key part of London’s transport network. From Hounslow to Greenwich, it’s rare to step on to the street without seeing one, and they now facilitate millions of journeys every month. Forest recorded 3m rides this July alone, a new high. Demand keeps rising, and operators are logging ever-higher ride-per-bike ratios, a key measure of how intensively fleets are being used.

This is good news for London, which gains a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable way to get around – one that eases reliance on private car ownership. And, with new research revealing that air-quality improvements driven by the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) have led to better lung health in children, the benefits of reducing polluting journeys are increasingly clear.

But shared ebikes also draw real criticism. Poorly parked bikes make near-daily headlines, and with good reason. I’m acutely aware of the criticism directed at us and I know this is a problem. Misparked bikes, and the cluttered pavements they leave behind, cause understandable frustration. It’s a nuisance, and – at worst – a genuine hazard for pedestrians and other road users.........

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