Transport for London is banning non-folded e-bikes from most of its network from Monday, including the Elizabeth Line, Docklands Light Railway and London Overground in southeast London.

While most e-bikes are safe, the London Fire Brigade had raised concerns after a number of incidents where non-foldable bikes had caught fire on the transport network. 

The brigade said that, more widely, it was dealing with an e-bike or e-scooter fire every other day, and has warned about safety risks from standard cycles that have adapted with electronic conversion kits. TfL, which banned e-scooters in December 2021, said it would be difficult for staff to tell the difference between unmodified and modified bikes.

Folding e-bikes are exempt from the ban. TfL said it was “not aware of any reports of foldable e-bike fires in London, and there are fewer opportunities for foldable cycles to be converted into e-bikes using conversion kits”.

The ban will cover the entire Tube, London Overground, Elizabeth Line and DLR networks from March 31. Offenders could face a £1,000 fine.

Non-folding e-bikes will still be allowed on the Woolwich Ferry and on the Silvertown Tunnel cycle shuttle buses when they begin on April 7. They have always been banned on the London Cable Car.

TfL said it acted after a “significant fire” at Rayners Lane station in northwest London last month, which followed another fire at Sutton, on the National Rail network, a year ago. In Sutton, the bike’s owner said he had bought the cycle online four months beforehand and there had been no problems, but then “the bike started smoking on the train platform and then burst into flames”. 

Unfolded e-bikes can still be carried off-peak on National Rail trains that aren’t operated for TfL. Southeastern told The Greenwich Wire that it had no plans to change its rules.

A spokesperson for Govia Thameslink Railway, which runs Thameslink and Southern services, said: “All e-scooters, e-unicycles, e-skateboards and hoverboards were banned on our services in June 2023.

“There is currently no national policy in regard to e-bikes although we are monitoring and reviewing the risks.”

The Rail Delivery Group, which represents rail companies, said there were no plans to change the rules at present and that passengers should check general the cycle restrictions of their local operator before travelling.

London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said: The safety of Londoners is my top priority and, while most e-bikes are safe, there have been a small number of incidents where non-foldable e-bikes have caught fire on the transport system, which have caused me great concern.

“This is why, following a comprehensive review of the safety of e-bikes, TfL is banning all non-folding e-bikes on tube and rail services. I have asked TfL to continue to work with the government and partners to improve e-bike safety.”

Charlie Pugsley, the London Fire Brigade’s deputy commissioner for prevention, protectom and policy, said: “We welcome this move by Transport for London following their detailed safety review, as it acknowledges the risks that we know e-bike batteries can pose.

“While we recognise the sustainable benefits e-bikes, and micromobility generally, bring to our city, the reality is that across London we have been seeing an e-bike or e-scooter fire every other day, on average, and we have particular concern about the risk posed by conversion kits or modified e-bikes. When these fires occur, they can be sudden, incredibly ferocious and produce smoke that is extremely toxic.”

The London Fire Brigade’s guidance for e-bikes and e-scooters is on its website.

Updated at 1.40pm with comment from Southeastern and Govia Thameslink, and at 3.10pm from the Rail Delivery Group.

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