A number of events have taken place across London to share vital safety advice with users of e-bikes and e-scooters in the city.

These initiatives come as London experiences a surge in fires involving e-bikes and e-scooters, underscoring the urgent need to improve safety measures for these vehicles.

Modified e-bikes and e-scooters, in particular, have become one of the most rapidly growing fire risks in the capital. Since early 2023, fires involving these devices have occurred roughly every two days. Some incidents have had devastating consequences, severely affecting lives and livelihoods. Just last Friday, the Brigade was called to an incident involving a burning e-scooter on the balcony of an eighth-floor flat in Battersea, receiving 45 emergency calls. Early the following Monday, five individuals escaped a house fire in Hackney caused by a faulty e-bike battery. Around ten additional fires involving e-bikes were recorded over just five days.

Earlier this year, London Fire Brigade joined forces with London Trading Standards to host events in some of the busiest areas of the city, particularly in boroughs with a higher rate of such fires, including Tower Hamlets, Southwark, and Newham.

Fire crews spoke directly with riders near popular spots such as fast-food outlets, where riders typically gather while waiting for deliveries, providing guidance on safe storage and charging practices. Local authority Trading Standards Officers and Giuseppe Capanna, a product safety engineer from Electrical Safety First, also participated, offering specific safety advice and gathering insights into the most commonly used types of e-bikes.

This initiative was made possible through funding from the Office for Product Safety and Standards, following a successful funding bid by London Trading Standards. The aim is to highlight the fire hazards posed by e-bike and e-scooter batteries, as well as the dangers associated with conversion kits and chargers.

Richard Field, Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Prevention & Protection at London Fire Brigade, said:
“These events across London have been a great opportunity for our crews and partners to deliver crucial safety advice to those who need to hear it most.

“Over the course of these engagements, we’ve spoken to hundreds of riders, offering them our #ChargeSafe campaign flyers, including versions translated into multiple languages such as Bengali, Urdu and Spanish.

“We learnt that a vast number of riders are using modified e-bikes. While it was encouraging to learn about some of the safe storage and charging practices riders have adopted at home, we know that there is an increased fire risk, in particular with bikes that have had battery packs fitted. Along with the incidents that we are now unfortunately routinely attending, this activity reinforces how vital events like these are.”

Stuart Radnedge, regional co-ordinator for London Trading Standards, commented:
“This has been an excellent way of advising e-bike users about how to safely charge as well as avoid some of the risks when shopping online. At this time, we cannot be confident that products sold online, such as batteries and chargers, meet the correct safety standards.

“I’d like to thank all of the trading standards officers who have supported this initiative which is helping to make London safer. In addition, this project has enhanced relationships with the partners involved to ensure additional safety projects will take place in the future.”

Giuseppe Capanna, product safety engineer at Electrical Safety First, said:
“Gig economy workers are often difficult to reach, so it has been invaluable to share life-saving safety advice with them in person all across London. Many of the bikes we came across during this event were converted, confirming that DIY kits are highly attractive to this group.

“Because of the accessible price point of a conversion kit versus a fully manufactured e-bike, many gig workers will turn to them as part of their work - but at present there are no safety standards for these kits. They are often sold incomplete, by third-party sellers online, with a motor, a handful of wires and a controller, missing the most important components: a battery and charger. If a consumer purchases an incompatible pair, the risk of a fire can be severe. It is vital safety standards for conversion kits are introduced to ensure the risk from substandard kits sold online is tackled.”

More recently, London Fire Brigade has taken part in two of Deliveroo’s Rider Roadshows in Ealing and at Soho Fire Station, creating another valuable opportunity to engage riders directly about fire safety risks.

As part of the ongoing #ChargeSafe campaign, the Brigade is pushing for stronger regulation of online marketplaces. The Product Regulation & Metrology Bill has been welcomed as a positive step towards reducing the risk of e-bike and e-scooter fires. If enacted, the legislation is expected to lower the chance of consumers unknowingly purchasing unsafe items such as lithium batteries, chargers, and conversion kits, which can be extremely hazardous when they do not meet UK safety standards.

The Brigade is currently offering its data and technical expertise to Government to help ensure the new Bill is as robust as possible.

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