I’d like to mention problems with the E-bike storage at Forest Hill station Perry Vale.
On Thursday 3/9/26 I counted a total of 48 bikes not in the designated area. They extended from the private bike lock-up area all the way down to the pedestrian tunnel. The bikes are often scattered double depth over the pavement. Yesterday the clear pavement width was barely over 1 metre at one location.
There were also two Forest bikes parked next to the ticket machines which suggests their geo-fencing isn’t very good.
The other problem is access. The area is on the pavement. There is no dropped curb from the roadway and no markings showing a permitted route. Riders usually access the pavement at the slope to the car park which is between 45 and 75 metres away. They ride speed in both directions along the pavement.
I have to agree at least in principle. The bikes so actually see good usage, but as you say the location and access are problematic.
If the bay were nearer the car park people would still leave them where they do now. So putting drop kerb in at an appropriate place is the best solution.
The over fulfilment of supply shall we call it, is a tough one I have tried to keep an eye on. Come the evenings it seems there are far less bikes there, so maybe the demand justifies the supply. However if that is the case, the bay situation needs addressing.
To be clear, I am generally in favour of them, although some of the careless way people leave them is an issue.
The area is located at the narrow part of the pavement. It could be located further along (near the wooden seat). This wouldn’t obstruct the pavement so much, and be closer to the car park ramp. Fantastic pic by the way.
Away from the subway, just off to the left of your picture, where the pavement is much wider. Closer to the ramp at the entrance to the car park. This ramp is where the cyclists ride full speed onto the pavement. More space for the bikes, which could almost be double depth parking, and half the careering down the length of pavement.
Aaah wooden bench threw me, could only picture the metal one. Yup I agree it would be better placed there or even in the car park. However…
As we have discovered especially by the way some people park these bikes, some humans are lazy, and would just park by the subway anyway. Eventually it would become the norm.
Where they are now isn’t terrible I don’t think, so long as they are parked properly, and that’s the issue. Lime, Forest etc need to be better at checking the pictures sent for “parked” and enforcing against those who don’t follow the simple rules.
I agree, up to a point. There is no dropped kerb giving access to the area, nor any form of marking showing the route the bikes should take to get there. So it is a free-for-all along the entire length of the pavement. I am concerned about two things. Terrible bike parking all over the pavement and racing the bikes along the pavement. The other day there was approx 1 metre pedestrian space between the bikes and the waste bin. Another day, a young women came a cropper trying to power the bike she was riding up onto the pavement.
All very valid points, and dare I say repeated all over the borough and further too. Just like. Some of the locations on the corners of roads, there seems to be little thought about impact given to choosing the locations or even monitoring them.
Bike bays… Tick… Done!
They are clearly an asset to the area, just need some oversight now to make sure things are done properly. As usual, great idea, lacks accountability.
I shall pop the drone up and see what the state of play is this rush hour.
Talking about silly positioning of bike parking. Take a look at the location of the one at the end of Burghill Road. It occupies most of one side of the road. It’s an absolute pain turning left from Mayow Road.
So geo fencing is much more exact than I thought. It looks as if it would be possible to restrict riding on pavement and enforce parking location to make pavements safer for pedestrians. it may be down to Lewisham to drill down on this with the e bike companies as, it appears, some other Boroughs have done.
That will be good. Stop the people joining the pavement at the car park then riding all the way down and park at the ticket machine. The other day an idiot rode straight at me because he wanted to park just where I was standing.
Sadly people are simply too lazy and will want to park as close as possible. You can see that already where people ignore the existing bay and ride to the machine and entrance.
Any planning to move or enlarge it, will want it as close as possible.
I absolutely agree that the way some ride on the pavement is ridiculous, and those bike are NOT light.
Boroughs like Westminster have really had a crackdown which is good news. In turn the companies need to crack down on their rogue users. There are clearly some regular offenders. If they are actually legally hiring the bikes is another matter. But some people are simple too entitled and lazy to care where they leave them
I walked past today. Two bikes were supposedly in the correct bay. Just their front wheels were 10cm into the bay. The pedestrian clear space between them and the lamppost was just over 1 metre, my 84 cm walking stick. It appears that when they decided where to put the bay they forgot the lamppost.
I keep hoping one of our Perry Vale councillors has seen all this local discussion and resolved to take this up on behalf of all station users on the east side.
I don’t think it’s down to lazy people. If the parking space for bikes was properly geofenced, and the pavement from Perry vale car park restricted both by Forest and Lime, and if the parking bays had clear markings showing diagonal bays in the restricted area then we could all move on.
