Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Royal National Institute of Blind People and The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association on ensuring that bikes are parked in docking stations to prevent them being parked at random on pavements and in pedestrian areas.

The Department has regular discussions with its statutory advisors, the Disabled Person’s Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), on the transport needs of disabled people. I last met with the organisations mentioned in the question on 18th March 2021.

The Department has previously discussed this matter with stakeholders including local authorities and representatives from groups representing visually impaired people. Local authorities already have powers to deal with hire bicycles if they are causing an obstruction or nuisance.