DfT considering national code of conduct for dockless bike share firms

Government ministers are considering a national standard for dockless bike sharing.

Following concerns from cities and residents that are already hosting the rent as you go schemes, in a written parliamentary answer the transport minister Jesse Norman said the Department for Transport is evaluating the need for rules and guidelines across the country.

"The Department is discussing with various stakeholders the possible need for an agreed consistent national standard for bike share schemes to help ensure that they are introduced and managed appropriately,” he wrote, in in answer to Labour's Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, which was spotted by BikeBiz.

It is thought that national guidelines would supersede any made by local councils.

Oxford and London already have codes of conduct for its dockless sharing schemes.

London’s forbids any “act, omission, situation or practice that materially affects the reasonable comfort and convenience of the public”, while Oxford’s commits dockless bike companies to ensure:

    Bikes are of high quality and well maintained
    There is a strong mechanism for reporting bike faults
    Bikes are not left in dangerous locations or where they cause an obstruction
    Bikes are redistributed around the city
    All bikes have lights
    All employees are paid at least the Oxford Living Wage

The companies have also been asked to start with a pilot phase with a small number of bikes (50-100 each), and then expand only if the trial is successful and it is appropriate to do so.
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