The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has reiterated its support for Transport for London's (TfL) ban on private e-scooters across its entire transport network. The endorsement comes as the LFB continues to highlight the significant fire risk posed by some of these vehicles, particularly those with uncertified or modified lithium-ion batteries.
TfL introduced the ban in December 2021 following a series of serious fire incidents on its services, including one on a District Line train at Parsons Green. These incidents prompted an urgent safety review, which concluded that the risk of fires from privately owned e-scooters was unacceptable due to the potential for catastrophic thermal runaway in their batteries.
The LFB has been vocal about the dangers associated with these batteries, particularly those that are cheap, faulty, or incorrectly charged. The brigade has reported a concerning increase in fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters, having attended more than 100 such incidents in London this year alone. These fires can develop rapidly and intensely, producing toxic fumes and posing a severe threat to life and property, especially in enclosed spaces like Tube carriages or buses.
TfL's ban prohibits passengers from carrying private e-scooters on any of its services, including the Tube, buses, Overground, TfL Rail, DLR, and Emirates Air Line. The only exception is for rented e-scooters that are part of the capital's trial scheme, which meet stringent safety standards and are not permitted on TfL services anyway. Since the ban's inception, TfL staff have confiscated over 19,000 e-scooters from individuals attempting to bring them onto the network.
The continued backing from the LFB underscores the ongoing safety concerns. Firefighters regularly warn the public about the importance of purchasing e-scooters and e-bikes from reputable retailers, using only manufacturer-approved chargers, and avoiding charging batteries unsupervised or overnight. The rapid growth in popularity of these personal electric vehicles has brought with it an urgent need for greater public awareness regarding their safe use and maintenance.
This joint stance from TfL and the LFB aims to protect passengers and staff, ensuring the safety of London's vast public transport system. The authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, with a focus on education and enforcement to mitigate the risks associated with these increasingly common modes of transport.