E-scooters and bikes could be forced off UK roads after numerous safety complaints have been raised over the growing fire risks.
Due to the high number of fires caused by the electric transport options, a campaign has been launched urging Britons to only buy safe products from reputable sellers.
The warning comes after the London Fire Brigade attended 143 e-bike fires, and 36 e-scooter blazes last year which resulted in three deaths and 60 injuries.
The Department for Business and Trade has warned that faulty parts in electric bikes and scooters such as rogue batteries have resulted in hundreds of incidents across the UK.
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Most of the fires attended by the Brigade involved lithium batteries which are primarily used in e-bikes and e-scooters.
Product Safety Minister Justin Madders said: “We’ve all seen the tragic stories of unsafe e-bikes and e-scooters causing dangerous fires and taking lives. We’re urging everyone to check what you’re buying, check where you’re buying it from and ensure it’s safe to use.”
In June this year, a coroner demanded Government action after a person died in a home fire caused by an e-bike battery pack which had overheated while charging.
Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood added that rogue sellers “risk bringing defective and dangerous batteries into people’s homes” and can “undermine confidence in active travel as a whole”.
E-scooters are more susceptible to fires when charging
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Sue Davies, head of consumer protection policy at Which?, responded to the Government warning, explaining that research has “consistently” shown dangerous products being sold on online marketplaces.
This includes fire-risk heaters to faulty smoke alarms, which put lives at risk and take business away from “honest sellers who meet legal requirements”.
She commented: “The Government’s Product Regulation and Metrology Bill must crack down on this problem and level the playing field for high-street retailers.
“To tackle rogue third-party sellers, the Bill must be strengthened to include clear legal duties on marketplaces so that they can face tough action, including heavy fines, from the regulator if they endanger lives.”
The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill is aimed at adding more protective measures to consumers and would mean that only reputable sellers can offer certain e-bikes and batteries for purchase online.
It is currently making its way through the House of Lords and is expected to pass through the Committee Stage on November 4.
When it becomes a law, it will be able to provide new criminal offences and impose civil sanctions for non-compliant sellers who fail to meet the safety requirements.
Lesley Rudd, chief executive of charity Electrical Safety First, noted that while e-bikes and e-scooters purchased from reputable sources are “generally safe”, poor-quality products can cause “ferocious fires”.
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There have been growing concerns about e-scooter fires
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She added: “It’s equally as important to ensure you use a charger that is designed to be compatible with your battery to avoid the risk of overcharging which may destabilise the battery and lead to a fire.”
In 2021, Transport for London banned e-scooters from London’s transport network. This was also due to the growing number of fires on the network involving these vehicles.