please empty your brain below
It's quite nice of them to let all the time-travelling cyclists know that they can use their e-bikes on the Silvertown Tunnel cycle shuttle.

TW | 28.03.25 - 7:12 a.m. | #

Some of these e-bikes have fixed pedals, which makes them mopeds.

Ackshley | 28.03.25 - 7:22 a.m. | #

Are they lazy? Many of these food delivery riders on the District line are immigrants from the Indian sub-continent who work long hours in all weathers for little pay. Many are based along the District line from East Ham to Barking. They commute to Tower Hamlets, the City, and Hackney because that’s where the work (hungry, lazy, often middle class residents who want convenience) is. Many live in ghastly conditions at the mercy of unscrupulous landlord who stack homes with bunkbeds shared by a roster of occupants throughout the day. Two landlords in Tower Hamlets who allowed their flat to be rented out in this fashion were recently convicted after men died and others were injured when an e-bike caught fire. Sadly it’s the poorest, most vulnerable in society who suffer even when they’re just trying to get by.

faineant | 28.03.25 - 7:23 a.m. | #

Obviously it's not TfL's role but the existence of the dangerous e-bikes is a failure of the police more than anything. And the delivery companies should be held to account, they should have a duty to ensure that their riders are doing it legally

Herned | 28.03.25 - 7:49 a.m. | #

Probably a bit harsh to call them "lazy". They work ridiculous hours for minimal pay.

The "lazy" ones could be the people they're delivering the food to. Too lazy to cook, too lazy to go to the shops or too lazy to collect their order perhaps.

Charlie | 28.03.25 - 8:01 a.m. | #

I love how circumstances frustrate the best intensions, after the Kings Cross fire smoking was banned, wood disappeared from escalators, new wiring was installed, etc.; but along came mobile phone, laptops and lithium batteries - then the need to make things more accessible, which means battery powered mobility aids can get easier access to confined underground spaces.

At some point they'll be the right mix of circumstances and a battery fire will lead to casualties.

Still Anon | 28.03.25 - 8:45 a.m. | #

conflagration !! WHAT

Ric | 28.03.25 - 8:51 a.m. | #

> Also bikes are allowed at peak times on certain lines if travelling against the flow

In this case, I think you (or TfL) would be better of phrasing it as 'peak services', not 'peak times', since those services travelling against the flow are not peak services - hence why my Railcard discount still applies on them too.

tomb | 28.03.25 - 8:59 a.m. | #

Usual heavy handed sledgehammer approach from TfL because they are *too lazy* to think it through and actually support people who are trying to move around London.

LFB being similarly pathetic in approach

Jordan D | 28.03.25 - 9:47 a.m. | #

Glad I'm not alone in being offended by another example of your casual condescension toward people doing awful low-paid work. Check your privilege.

Frank F | 28.03.25 - 10:00 a.m. | #

Hmm, I suspect the riders taking their bike into town charged them at home and want to save the charge for their shift so they can complete more deliveries, rather than using it all up between Bow and the City.

I don’t think TfL’s being draconian here, although I think it’s likely to be unfair on many people. The real issue is the government still not catching up with legislation on day to day useful things because it’s too busy disappearing up its own arse.

Kirk | 28.03.25 - 10:30 a.m. | #

As a not-so-frequent visitor to central London in the last 9 years the increase in fat-tyre ebikes, especially for food-delivery, has been surprising.
Why fat tyres? They create more rolling resistance (but can carry greater weight) which means the battery will drain quicker. Are they more robust? If they're modded and illegal TfL are doing passengers and staff a service by banning them.

A casual search shows that Deliveroo - the shysters - will happily 'rent' you a ebike, which looks uncomfortably close to slavery; only missing out on also 'renting' you your accomodation.

martin'O'Holcombe | 28.03.25 - 10:45 a.m. | #

Unless they actually get around to changing the relevant byelaws (they haven't done so far) it is questionable whether such a ban would be enforceable let alone whether BTP could actually fine anyone for breaching the ban.

Pedantic of Purley | 28.03.25 - 10:52 a.m. | #

I understand your point about folding, but “unfolded” has the benefit, for me, of being impeccably clear. It also strikes me as being grating entirely dependant on perspective. Only a folding bike can be un-folded, but, an ordinary bicycle remains unfolded - the fact it cannot easily be folded is, in a sense, irrelevant.

Michael T | 28.03.25 - 10:57 a.m. | #

'The only electric bikes or scooters allowed on our trains are folded e-bikes' seems to work, but we really need a Venn diagram.

Peter | 28.03.25 - 11:07 a.m. | #

Another knee-jerk Mayoral ‘ban’ that has as much chance of being enforced as a previous incumbent’s prohibition of alcohol.

Kim | 28.03.25 - 11:15 a.m. | #

I've just bought myself a new mobility scooter which has a lithium battery. I never hear mobility scooters mentioned.

Caroline | 28.03.25 - 11:43 a.m. | #

Mobility scooters and power chairs come with well-tested and safe batteries, so they will never catch a fire in the same way as an e-bike. These mobility equipment have to undergo a lot of scrutinisation before they are sold.

Kartik | 28.03.25 - 12:02 p.m. | #

Kim hits the nail on the head. Not a fart's chance in a hurricane that some lazy (yes) member of TfL staff will actually confront anyone wielding such a bike.
Never mind, it "sends out a strong message" which is all themayorsadiqkhan cares about.

David B | 28.03.25 - 2:09 p.m. | #

Enforcement of any law or bylaw is always a tricky area. Some TfL employees may be lazy, but any failure to enforce the new ban will not be evidence of this. Except for those who have all the proper training, no individual staff member is required to risk their personal safety, by physically preventing any disallowed behaviour.

Malcolm of Kent | 28.03.25 - 3:32 p.m. | #

Agree with faineant and Charlie here. If only there were proper cycle parking and we sorted out bike theft then they'd feel more inclined to park their bikes around the areas they work rather than drag them back home on the train. Would also help regular travelers who use bikes for their first or last mile if they felt comfortable leaving their own bike at a station rather than needing to keep it with them at all times -- including on the train.

matthieu1221 | 28.03.25 - 4:13 p.m. | #

You retired extraordinarily early and seem delighted to have the state pay for you whenever possible but call workers (trying to make a living in awful conditions as others have pointed out) lazy? No wonder the country is broke. Greedy entitled retirees.

Mall | 28.03.25 - 5:19 p.m. | #

Well the “lazy” comment kicked off an unexpected row. My favorite part was how the offended ones responded by making more unfounded assumptions than dg’s original remark. Christ on a bike (but not certain bikes on certain TfL services from Monday).

Stephen | 29.03.25 - 12:40 a.m. | #

Insofar as it’s possible to get potentially suspect battery conversions for regular Brompton folding bikes, it might be simpler and use fewer words to ban all e-bikes - from everywhere!

ActonMan | 29.03.25 - 11:02 a.m. | #

A disappointing move for those of us who have spent thousands on a perfectly legal, perfectly safe e-bike for use on a multimodal commute. At this point, I am inclined to just go back to using my car to go to work.

-M | 29.03.25 - 10:34 p.m. | #

As far as any bikes being allowed on the tube etc, it is the overzealous political ambition to make priority for cyclists at fault. No unfolded bikes with or without batteries should be clogging the safe passage in or out of train doors with their pedals sticking out ready to scrape your shins or ladder your tights. If allowed they should be segregated in an area similar to the old train guards.
I would not want to be running through a tube stations narrow corridors, during an emergency, with a bike in the way either.

scrumpy | 30.03.25 - 8:56 a.m. | #











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