Bad news for Singapore-based startup oBike, which have bought their dock less bike hire platform to London's streets.
While oBike attempts to propel the bike sharing revolution in the UK, not everyone was too pleased when around 400 yellow bikes showed up on the streets.
The company has now been ordered to remove thousands of bikes from the street.
TfL said they had no idea Obikes had started operating in London were furious when they found out. The company from Singapore say they want to transform cycling in the capital and are disappointed
According to Hammersmith & Fulham council, bikes were left obstructing footpaths and creating potential hazards for pedestrians throughout the borough.
It seems that although H&F are positive about cycling in the borough, it appears they don't trust the cyclist users to use the cycles in a responsible manner.
"We're really positive about cycling in H&F ... But these bikes appeared without any consultation at all with H&F council.
Plus we have concerns about the way they had been placed on the streets, and protecting the health and safety of people in the borough," said the council in a statement.
“We're very much in favour of cycling,” said councillor Stephen Cowan, leader of Hammersmith & Fulham council.
“But we expect companies to properly consult with us first. This launch could have been much better thought out.”
So it seems TfL and H&F council are not happy about a foreign company, who don't pay tax in this country, abide by no local regulations, have set up an operation that has challenged Boris Bikes by undercutting and using disruptive technology.
Hypocrisy to say the least.
OBike have agreed to remove the cycles and said it will meet with TfL and local councils to discuss ways to make the cycle scheme work.
Feryal Demirci, cabinet member for Neighbourhoods, Transport and Parks in Hackney, added that Hackney welcomes any scheme that makes it easier and cheaper for residents to cycle, but it was disappointed that oBike had not contacted the council.
"We want to enter into a dialogue with companies to agree the way bike share schemes should work in the same way that we do for car clubs," she said.
oBike aims to Undercut the price of Transport for London's Santander Cycles, formerly known as Boris Bikes -which are part funded by the taxpayer.
The startup charges users a deposit of £49 with rates of 50p for a 30-minute ride.
As corporal Jones said in Dads Defending Daughters Army "They don't like it up em sir !!!"
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