Lambeth shuffles bikes south – Waterloo loses docks as Brockwell Park gains kerb space
Lambeth is shifting space for dockless bikes and e-scooters away from Waterloo and towards Brockwell Park and Herne Hill, as part of a wider reshuffle of the borough’s cycling infrastructure …
Black News 
Lambeth is shifting space for dockless bikes and e-scooters away from Waterloo and towards Brockwell Park and Herne Hill, as part of a wider reshuffle of the borough’s cycling infrastructure that quietly redraws who gets what slice of the kerb.
A new officer delegated decision report confirms that a Santander cycle hire docking station currently located on King Edward Walk, near Waterloo, will be removed and relocated south to Dulwich Road, just by Brockwell Park.
In its place, the Waterloo site will be converted into a designated parking bay for dockless bikes and e-scooters — effectively swapping a formal docking hub for a more flexible, but less structured setup.
The move reflects a broader push by the council to “rebalance” street space away from cars and towards what it sees as cleaner, more sustainable transport.
In practice, that means six on-street parking bays on Dulwich Road will be removed to make way for a 30-dock Santander station, extending the TfL network further south into an area officers say is currently underserved.
The logic is simple enough: fewer docks in central areas where provision is already dense, more infrastructure in places like Herne Hill where demand is growing — particularly around destinations such as Brockwell Park and the Lido. The King Edward Walk station, singled out as the least-used in the borough, is deemed expendable.
But while the Santander bikes are heading south, dockless operators are being invited to consolidate their presence in Waterloo. The new bay on King Edward Walk is intended to serve the ever-growing number of rental bikes and e-scooters that might otherwise end up strewn across pavements — a problem the council acknowledges has become increasingly difficult to manage.
Not everyone is convinced by the trade-off. During consultation, residents raised concerns about the loss of parking, accessibility for those who rely on cars, and the removal of a well-used docking option in central Lambeth.
Others questioned whether replacing fixed infrastructure with dockless parking really represents an upgrade, or simply a cheaper compromise.
Officers, however, argue that nearby docking stations — including Westminster Bridge Road and Lambeth North — will absorb displaced users, while the new Herne Hill site will open up fresh routes and connections.
They also point to the borough’s wider kerbside strategy, which aims to reallocate 25 per cent of street space away from traditional parking uses over time.
Financially, the scheme is modest: £63,716, fully funded by Transport for London. The bigger cost may be less visible — an estimated loss of parking income, albeit from bays the council says are not heavily used.
An equalities assessment flags some familiar tensions. While better-managed bike parking could improve conditions for pedestrians — particularly disabled residents navigating cluttered pavements — the removal of parking near Brockwell Park may create new barriers for those who depend on vehicle access.
Implementation is expected in April, with TfL leading on the docking station relocation and Lambeth delivering the new dockless bay.
