CROSSED THE LINE
I was slapped with a fine after a no-parking zone was painted AROUND my car by ‘nuisance’ council
The new e-bike station is causing noise pollution for the residents on the street
AN architect was slapped with a fine after council workers painted a no-parking zone around his car.
Cezary Bednarski, 72, had returned home from a 10-day trip to find the new e-bike bay outside his home.
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He'd been in Portugal on business when his neighbour called to tell him that he'd been fined.
Mr Bednarski claimed Kensington and Chelsea Council staff painted the new bay before issuing him with a parking ticket - which was printed minutes before the new changes came into force.
"I left at 4 in the morning one day and came back at midnight 10 days later and our neighbour sent me a picture showing my car in the middle of a cycle bay, ticketed. I just couldn't believe my eyes," he told My London.
Kensington and Chelsea Council say that residents were warned about the new bike bay before it was installed.
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The pensioner's woes didn't stop there - he claims his life has been turned into a "nightmare" since the rental e-bike bay was added to the street in September 2024.
Cezary told the publication that he and his family have suffered from sleepless nights after being woken up by drunk people collecting and dropping off the Lime Bikes.
He and his wife Claudia, 59, said that the area has become a "little bar", where boozed-up bikers loiter, chatting loudly with friends whilst resting their drinks on the wall.
"Quite often we have noise going on for even an hour. The kids wake up. Sometimes the cyclists drop their garbage down in the basement," he added.
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Claudia, who gets ready for work at 6.30am, says she often has "little or no sleep".
She said the couple are dreading the spring and summer when they plan to sleep with their windows open.
I was fined £11k over 'ridiculous' five-minute parking rule even though I paid
The couple insist they wouldn't mind if the noise is once a week, but the disruption unfolds every night.
The domino effect of the bikes falling over is also a regular occurrence for Cezary.
Aswell as dealing with the noise from the cyclists, the family says the workers who service the bikes are just as annoying.
He accused them of throwing used e-bike batteries in the van, which adds to the ongoing noise pollution.
How to appeal against a parking ticket
How to appeal depends on what type of parking fine you've been given.
A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) or an Express Charge Notice (ECN) are issued by the council on public land, like a high street or car park.
To appeal against a PCN you will need to write to the council explaining why you object to the ticket. You have 14 days to make an informal appeal from the day you were given the notice, or 21 days if it was sent by post.
Include evidence with your appeal such as:
- A valid pay and display ticket
- Photos that show there were no road markings where you parked
- Photos of signs that are hard to see or understand
- A witness statement from someone who was with you
- A repair note if your car broke down
It's very important to include:
- The date the ticket was issued
- Your address
- Vehicle registration
- the penalty notice number
Cezary designed his West London home himself and has lived there for 15 years.
The Bednarskis aren't the only residents narked by the noise.
Jean-Christophe Puget, 41, and his children aged 12 and 15 are woken up by the bike clatter "almost every night".
His living room is at basement level and is directly beside the rental e-bike stand.
Jean-Christophe wakes up every day at 2am to go to work as a baker and often has to tell revellers to "calm down".
Cllr Cem Kemahli, lead member for planning and place at Westminster and Chelsea Council, said: "We consulted residents about the location of parking bays thoroughly, via our consultation web hub, signage and letters.
"We are regularly in touch with providers to make sure they manage bays properly and we’ll be asking Lime and Forest to avoid picking up and dropping off bikes at this bay between 11pm and 6am to help keep disruption for local residents to a minimum.”
“E-bikes are a good option for people to get around quickly, cheaply and sustainably but e-bike rental providers have generally failed to manage their service well and consider pedestrians and residents in their business model.
"You see it in other parts of London where bikes are littered on every pavement.
"We’re doing everything we can to counter their mismanagement ourselves, which is why we introduced parking bays to keep our pavements clear."
A Lime spokesperson said: "Lime is playing a key role in encouraging cycling across London, helping to improve our air quality, reduce congestion and create a more accessible and greener city.
"We recognise that one of the most significant challenges facing our industry is the issue of overcrowded parking bays, particularly in areas where demand for e-bikes exceeds the space made available for parking.
“We are working to address this issue in Kensington by enforcing mandatory parking, improving our response time to any issues raised, and bolstering our Lime Parking Patrol, a dedicated team who tidy misparked bikes and overcrowded bays.
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"There is a clear need for more designated parking locations, and we are eager to work in partnership with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to find more places for cyclists to park.
"This would not only promote sustainable travel but create a more organised and tidy parking solution for the community.”
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