London Assembly Member urges Londoners’ to be aware of fire risk caused by DIY e-bikes and e-scooters

Len Duvall, London Assembly Member for Greenwich and Lewisham has issued a warning to Londoners to be aware of fire risk caused by Lithium batteries in converted E-bikes and scooters. The warning comes following a fire in Woolwich where two people had to be rescued by fire crews. The incident, which took place in Mr Duvall’s constituency, was likely caused by lithium batteries in a converted e-bike.

Lithium-ion batteries carry a great risk of ignition, especially those which are poorly made or do not meet UK standards. Many batteries listed online, including do-it-yourself conversion kits to modify non-electric bikes, have not been produced within UK regulations and have not been assembled correctly.  

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) have cited lithium-ion batteries as one of the biggest challenges for the force. Last Year the LFB attended 142 e-bike fires along with 28 blazes involving e-scooters. This was 47 per cent more than in the whole of 2022. 

The speed at which the flames spread, often within minutes, has posed a significant danger, leading to three fatalities in the capital last year. 

Mr Duvall encourages Londoners to ensure that they are making smart decisions when purchasing lithium-ion products and checking they meet regulations by following the LFB advice.

For owners of existing products, the LFB’s #Charge Safe campaign shares important safety messaging and advice to keep the Londoners safe, and includes advice on safe storage, safe charging, signs of battery failure and what to do in an emergency.

Len Duvall, AM, Labour’s London Assembly Greenwich and Lewisham said:  

"Lithium-ion batteries pose a significant fire risk and in the wake of this incident I would urge Southeast Londoners to take the necessary steps to look out for friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are not putting themselves at risk and are taking the necessary steps to use these products safely. 

I am pleased that the Government has already announced their plans to address the growing risk through legislation and adopting some of #Charge Safe communications material nationally.  

The London Fire Brigade has done great outreach work that could  be replicated nationally, including communicating with food delivery riders via Deliveroo and sharing safety advice with consumers through Amazon. 

We will continue to work closely with the London Fire Brigade, and with the Government to ensure that when the new regulations come in to force that they are robust so that we can protect Londoners from dangerous products."