A Lime e-bike rider has been fined and permanently barred from the platform after his careless cycling in central London led to a pedestrian complaint and a police investigation.

The Independent reported that the incident occurred on Fleet Street on July 31, when the cyclist was seen riding on the wrong side of the road around roadworks. He reportedly moved onto the pavement as a bus approached and rode unpredictably among pedestrians.

A woman who challenged him over his riding was met with an offensive gesture before the cyclist left the area. She later reported the incident to the City of London Police, providing officers with the exact time and location.

Police reviewed CCTV footage from the area and shared information from the investigation with Lime. Using its tracking records, the e-bike company was able to identify the specific bicycle involved and trace it to the rider.

The cyclist was later invited to a police station, where he accepted a fine for careless cycling and apologised to the woman. Lime separately imposed a permanent ban, preventing him from using its service in the future.

Sergeant Stuart Ford, who leads the cycling team at the City of London Police, said the case demonstrated how police CCTV and information held by private partners could be combined to tackle anti-social behaviour and improve safety on city streets.

Lime’s UK deputy regional head for government relations, Alice Pleasant, said the company had responded to the police request in line with legal and privacy requirements, adding that it would not tolerate behaviour that puts pedestrians or other road users at risk.