The Newham Community Project is urging Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and London Fire Brigade Commissioner Jonathan Smith to support a London-wide Food Delivery Charter and invest in community-led fire protection.

Research by the project found that delivery riders and international students face the highest risk of e-bike battery fires due to unsafe charging in HMOs, economic pressures and unregulated conversion kits.

In response, the team has delivered training for rider ambassadors, safety workshops at key hotspots and universities, and distributed over 5,000 #ChargeSafe leaflets, leading to safer charging practices and increased reporting of unsafe batteries.

The initiative follows the Manor Park fire in October 2022, where ten international students escaped through windows after an e-bike fire blocked the exit, injuring four and hospitalising three.

The report notes that Food Delivery Charters are already in place in Greater Manchester, and campaigners are urging for a similar approach to be adopted across London, which has one of the largest delivery rider networks in the UK.

Research from the project highlights the value of community engagement in preventing fires before they occur, emphasising that peer-to-peer influence is often more effective than traditional top-down safety messaging.

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