Non-foldable e-bikes to be banned from most Transport for London services

Non-foldable e-bikes are set to be banned across most of London’s transport networks operated by Transport for London (TfL) services from 31 March to “ensure the safety of customers and staff”, the city’s local government body has announced today.

The ban is set to be enforced with the help of TfL’s 450 uniformed officers deployed across the capital’s public transport network. Cyclists who do not comply can be refused entry, asked to leave, or slapped with a fine of up to £1,000.

The news comes after an e-bike exploded and caught fire at Rayners Lane station platform last month, and another burst into flames on a platform at Sutton railway station last March.

Following last month’s incident, Aslef, the train drivers’ union, had threatened strike action unless TfL banned e-bikes from the London Underground, with the RMT and the TSSA also calling for similar bans.

TfL said that it has “worked closely with the London Fire Brigade and other partners to carry out a comprehensive review of the safety of e-bikes and their suitability for carriage on the TfL transport network”.

“While the majority of e-bikes are safe, there have been a small number of incidents where non-foldable e-bikes have caught fire on the transport system in London,” TfL said. “To ensure the safety of the network for customers and staff, customers in possession of non-foldable e-bikes will not be permitted to travel on most TfL services, including on the Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line and DLR.

“The ban includes all non-folding e-bikes, including standard cycles that have been converted to e-bikes using conversion kits.”

According to TfL’s analysis, adapted bikes using electronic conversion kits posed a greater fire risk than purpose-built e-bikes, although it pointed it could be hard to differentiate between modified and unmodified e-bikes.

It said it was instigating the ban “until improved product safety measures are in place for converted cycles, batteries and chargers”.

The operator, which becomes the first in the UK to impose such a ban, added it recognises the “important role of e-bikes” for Londoners and “will keep these changes under review, pending any future measures to improve product safety by the Government regarding e-bike safety standards”.