Bolt expands e-bikes in London ahead of Tube strikes with AI parking checks
Bolt is expanding its e-bike network across central and west London ahead of a fresh wave of Tube and bus strikes, City AM understands, to try ease pressure on the capital's strained transport system.
The ride-hailing firm said its bikes are now available in Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham, adding to its existing presence in Kensington & Chelsea and significantly widening coverage across key commuter routes.
The rollout comes as London braces for six days of industrial action on the Underground starting next week, with Transport for London warning of 'significant disruption' across multiple lines.
Bolt said demand for alternative transport is already proven. During September 2025's strikes, usage of its e-bikes surged by 685 per cent.
Giulio del Balzo, senior public policy manager at Bolt, said: 'London is one of the world's great cycling cities, and e-bikes have encouraged more people than ever to cycle. But they also need to work for everyone - riders, pedestrians, councils and local residents alike.'
The company is also positioning its pricing structure as a safety feature, with Bolt the only operator in London charging per mile rather than per minute.
It argues this removes the incentive for riders to rush journeys to cut costs - behaviour often linked to risky cycling in busy areas. Internal data shows riders using the model travel around nine per cent slower on average.
The expansion also includes tighter controls aimed at addressing one of the biggest criticisms of rental bikes: pavement clutter.
From day one, users will only be able to end journeys in designated parking bays, with AI photo verification ensuring compliance. Riders who fail to park correctly face fines and a drop in their in-app rating.
Bolt is also sharing live operational data with local councils, giving authorities real-time visibility of bike locations and usage patterns.
The push comes amid an increasingly competitive, and at times contentious, e-bike market in London.
Earlier this year, Bolt accused rival operators of moving its bikes out of designated bays, leading to fines and impoundments, the Times reported, in what it described as a 'dirty tricks' campaign.
Despite the tensions, the company is betting on growing demand as commuters look for alternatives to disrupted public transport.
Research commissioned by Bolt suggests e-bikes are already playing a significant role in London's transport mix, freeing up an estimated 577,500 spaces on public transport each week.
More than half of users said they would otherwise have taken the Tube, bus or train.
With strike action set to hit services across April, May and June, and parts of the network expected to run reduced timetables, operators are increasingly positioning micromobility as a key fallback for commuters.
Bolt launched its London e-bike service in August 2025 and has since expanded rapidly, while also rolling out schemes in other UK cities including Liverpool.
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