Call to Ban e-Scooters from Public Transport

[whole diary]

[CJB666]

This an increasing problem as the lithium batteries - likely made in China - catch fire.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-59152000

E-scooter catches fire on London Underground train

Passengers had to abandon a service at Parsons Green station in west London after a scooter caught fire then continued to burn on the platform.

Some were seen coughing on the platform as smoke billowed from several rear carriages.

Transport union TSSA^» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) said e-scooters posed a "significant threat" to the public and rail staff and that Transport for London should halt the carrying of e-scooters on all its services.

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[stuving]

For reference, Transport for London Conditions of Carriage for Bus, Tube, Tram, DLR^▸ (Docklands Light Railway), London Overground and TfL^» (Transport for London - about) Rail Services (which does not seem to be accessible by a link in their own site) says:

9.4 You may bring with you:
• personal possessions and luggage that you are able to carry yourself (including on stairs and escalators)
• folding buggies, folding bicycles and scooters (including electric scooters) that you are able to carry yourself (including on stairs and escalators)
• any other item, provided it is not dangerous or likely to injure anyone.
You may be asked to fold your buggy, bicycle and/or scooter.

9.5 You must not bring with you anything that:
• is more than 2 metres long
• you are unable to carry yourself (including on stairs and escalators)
• is hazardous or inflammable
• is likely to cause injury or obstruct other customers or staff
• is likely to cause damage to buses, trams, trains or stations.

9.6 You cannot take a rental electric scooter on our bus, Tube, Tram, DLR, London Overground, TfL Rail and Emirates Air Line services.

[ChrisB]

There may be a requirement to remove the battery before boarding in future, assuming that they are user-accessible. Otherwise I don’t know….but other than rental, e-scooters are illegal to use in public, and so could be banned more easily

[Bmblbzzz]

I'd like to know how the fire started. The most likely situation is while charging, but I don't think there are any electric sockets on tube trains?

Apart from this, the implications for electric wheelchair users on the trains could be problematic.

[Surrey 455]

I'd like to know how the fire started. The most likely situation is while charging, but I don't think there are any electric sockets on tube trains?

Apart from this, the implications for electric wheelchair users on the trains could be problematic.

Weren't Samsung Galaxy Note phones catching fire without being plugged in a few years back? I seem to recall them being banned from planes because of this.

[Bmblbzzz]

The company said that errors both in design and manufacturing affected batteries by two different manufacturers.

According to the findings, the problems centred on insufficient insulation material within the batteries and a design that did not give enough room to safely accommodate the batteries' electrodes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38714461

Phones and tablets generally are an example of where airlines etc make compromises between safety and practicability, or between safety and commerce if you like. A phone is in more continuous use than a scooter but a scooter has a larger battery: larger than in e-bikes but I don't know how they compare to those in electric wheelchairs. AFAIK^▸ (as far as I know) there's no ban on electric cars in tunnels and ferries.

[broadgage]

Sounds an overreaction to a SINGLE fire, but arguably justified to ban them from LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) services if this is becoming a regular event.

BTW^▸ (by the way), I have long felt that underground trains should be fitted with smoke detectors, several in each carriage. Operation of these should be silent and NOT stop the train which is the last thing wanted, carrying on to the next station is almost certainly the best option. The driver should be alerted and STARTING away from the next stop be prevented until the matter has been investigated.

[Timmer]

Sounds an overreaction to a SINGLE fire, but arguably justified to ban them from LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) services if this is becoming a regular event.

Imagine if this had happened on one of the deep tube lines? Outright ban for me. You don’t take TfL^» (Transport for London - about) bikes on the underground, so why should electric scooters be aloud?

[broadgage]

I agree that a ban is reasonable if fires are a regular occurrence, but still consider this to be an over reaction to a "one off"

After all they allow folding electric cycles, laptop PCs,  and cordless power tools, all of which contain lithium batteries.

I have had at least three lithium batteries catch fire, one at work, one on a FGW^▸ (First Great Western) train, and one in a public building, and still have the injury from one incident.

[IndustryInsider]

TfL^» (Transport for London - about) ban from Monday:

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/escooters-ban-tube-london-tfl-sadiq-khan-fines-parsons-green-b970956.html

[ChrisB]

Includes e-unicycles…didn’t know these existed!

[Lee]

Includes e-unicycles…didn’t know these existed!

Just for you Chris...

[TaplowGreen]

Reminds me of Simon & Lyndsay from The Fast Show........."Let's offroad!" 

[Lee]

Reminds me of Simon & Lyndsay from The Fast Show........."Let's offroad!" 

Xmas has come early for you as well, TG!

[CyclingSid]

Unfortunately too many Land-Rover drivers like that. If you have never been there before, it doesn't hurt to walk it first. Don't turn into the mud, front wheels pointing across the line of travel and acting as a brake. If it becomes impassable, before you bog it, makes sure you have an escape route.

Spoken as an ex-military Land-Rover owner and driver who spent too much time winching out people who didn't know what they were doing. Plus Off-Road for most SUVs is parking on the verge.