Lewisham Council and the London Fire Brigade (LFB) are joining forces to launch a vital campaign aimed at combating the significant fire risks posed by e-scooters and e-bikes. The initiative comes in response to escalating concerns over lithium-ion battery fires, which have become a growing problem across the UK.

In 2025, the LFB recorded 406 incidents of these fires nationwide, with over half occurring in London. Lewisham borough has unfortunately seen the highest number of such fires in the capital, with more than 30 incidents, including a tragic fatality.

Legal Ambiguity Fuels Fire Risk

The LFB highlighted that e-bikes and e-scooters are not legal for use on public roads in the UK, yet they continue to be sold from retail outlets and third-party online sellers. This legal ambiguity contributes to the fire risks, as individuals may be using non-compliant or modified vehicles. Inspector Adrian Hannah noted that while the sale of e-bikes is often legal, their modification and use can be illegal, creating a grey area . The LFB is actively lobbying the government to reform the legal framework surrounding the sale of these vehicles, advocating for a change in legislation regarding what is permitted to be sold.

Campaign to Educate and Prevent

To address this critical issue, the LFB will be running a two-month awareness campaign from July 20th to September 20th. The campaign will focus on educating the public about safe charging, storage, and usage practices, with a particular emphasis on high-rise and social housing areas. The LFB is collaborating with partner agencies, including Lewisham Council, and will be hosting events at local markets, schools, and community centres. Station Commander Mike Watts has urged councillors to support the campaign by promoting it to their constituents.

Safety Advice for Residents

Residents are being advised on safer storage and charging practices. The LFB recommends purchasing from recognised sellers and using appropriate chargers. Crucially, they advise against charging in hallways, as this can obstruct escape routes in case of a fire. Residents are also urged to ensure heat alarms are present and never to charge devices overnight or when unattended. For those in high-rise buildings, the issue of charging in common areas due to readily available power points is being addressed by housing managers.

When identifying safe e-scooters and e-bikes, the LFB and Trading Standards will be looking for chargers that are e-marked .

Tackling Counterfeit Parts and Exploring Alternatives

The LFB is also actively working with Trading Standards to identify retailers selling non-standard parts and counterfeit batteries. Specifically, they are looking for counterfeit batteries and the charges that aren't e-marked .

Discussions are also underway with Lime bikes to explore a project offering delivery riders a monthly subscription service as an alternative to using unsafe bikes. This initiative aims to provide riders with some free months off of them so that actually we can go your bike's not safe here's a free month with line bikes while you get your bike repaired , moving riders away from potentially illegal or unsafe vehicles.

Investigating Battery Collection Service

Lewisham Council is also investigating the feasibility of a dedicated collection service for lithium batteries to prevent fires in waste collection vehicles. A suggestion was made for a service where disposable batteries could be tied to recycling bins and collected in a metal box attached to refuse lorries, described as having very little expense and being a relatively cheap alternative . The council is in talks with emergency planning to explore this further, and the Director of Community Services is writing to the LFB for more details on specific schemes.

As a result of these discussions, the committee has agreed to investigate the commitment to a lithium battery collection service and to actively participate in the LFB's upcoming campaign. Further details on the Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee meeting can be found in the public reports pack and agenda frontsheet.