Source: Zag Daily Picture credit: Laura Martinez, Unsplash

The various shared e-bike schemes available to travellers in London are helping to alleviate pressure on the city’s public transport network, research shows. It is estimated that dockless e-bikes are freeing up over 577,000 seats on a weekly basis across Tube, bus and rail services.

The research has been published by shared mobility operator Bolt, and is based on a nationwide survey of more than 2,100 UK adults, in which 55% of respondents who are e-bike users said they would otherwise have travelled by public transport. Alongside Transport for London (TfL) figures published in November 2025 which show a total of 1.5 million daily cycling trips, with around 10% made on dockless e-bikes, the impact of shared mobility is palpable.

The nationwide study reveals how integral shared e-bike schemes have become to everyday travel habits. UK-wide, 36% of respondents said they use e-bikes for commuting, while the figure for London is 34%. Connectivity to other forms of public transport is also key, with 39% of Londoners and 40% of UK users using shared e-bikes for this purpose.

Shared e-bikes, along with shared e-scooters, have been noted for their ability to enable transport resilience during events such as last year’s Tube strike, where both trip numbers and trip duration increased significantly.

Requirements for sustainable expansion

The research highlights where divides exist between shared e-bike users and non-users, and the two groups’ key concerns.

Half of users cite greater availability as a priority, with 40% wanting improved parking and docking options, and 39% looking to see improved integration with transport hubs.

Non-users are concerned about increased street clutter and rider behaviour, with 35% worrying about cyclists riding on pavements, and 28% about bikes blocking pavements.

These concerns echo a recent case study which, although focused on e-scooters, is useful in highlighting the need for balancing the expansion of flexible, green urban mobility options with the challenges of safety, parking and public space management.