A council has called on the Government for better regulation of e-bikes, e-scooters and their battery packs following several fires in the city where people were injured.
Nottingham city councillor Nayab Patel (Lab) tabled a motion at a meeting of Full Council on Monday (September 8) advocating for mandatory third-party safety certification for all e-bikes, e-scooters, and their lithium-ion batteries, before they enter the UK market.
Nottingham City Council will also be writing to the Government, including minister for fire, Alex Norris, calling for better regulation of online marketplaces and funding to support enforcement and disposal schemes.
“The recent increase in fires caused by lithium-ion batteries demands that proactive steps are taken to address these risks and ensure safety of our community,” she said.
In July this year Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service says it attended a fire on Burford Road, Forest Fields, after a a lithium-ion battery pack – which had been left charging overnight – failed.
One man was rescued from the three-storey property by firefighters, and eight others were led to safety – three of whom were left with minor injuries. All of them needed to be rehoused, the council says.
Another fire was started by a failed e-bike battery pack in Radford in November 2023. Following the incident e-bike owner Reece Street said he had purchased a lithium battery pack from UPP via Amazon, and these products were later recalled under a Government order.
Nationally there were at least ten fire-related fatalities in the UK involving e-bikes or e-scooters powered by lithium-ion batteries in 2023.
Andrew Rule, of the Nottingham Independents and Independent Group, is a member of the Nottinghamshire Fire Authority.
He suggested strengthening the wording of the motion to make sure council waste collection teams get training on how to deal with safe collection and disposal of batteries.
His suggestion came after a bin lorry had to dump all of its rubbish in Hardy Street, in the Arboretum, in July, after binned batteries sparked a fire.
He also suggested guidance be distributed to show residents the safe ways to dispose of batteries.
“The guidance should be simple, practical and tailored to every day scenarios,” he added.
The charity is also calling for the introduction of third-party certification for e-bikes and their batteries, to reduce the risk of substandard devices coming to market.
A spokesperson from Electrical Safety First said: “Substandard batteries sold via online marketplaces pose a life-threatening risk to the public.
“The fires that may result when these devices fail can be catastrophic, releasing toxic gases and reaching temperatures of over 600 degrees Celsius.
“Whilst reputable manufacturers produce safe and compliant batteries, poor-quality versions are still freely available via online marketplaces through third-party sellers, often based oversees.
“Whilst we welcome the enactment of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, we continue to urge the Government to introduce mandatory third-party certification for e-bikes, e-scooters and their batteries to reduce the risk of substandard devices coming to market, and online marketplaces must finally be legally responsible for the safety of products sold through their platforms.”
The Government says it published new statutory guidelines published for businesses producing and distributing lithium-ion batteries for e-bikes in December last year.
It also confirmed it will address online marketplace regulation and the dangerous goods sold via their platforms under the new Product Regulation & Metrology Bill, which received Royal Assent in July.
Alex Norris, MP for Nottingham North and Kimberley and fire minister, was contacted for comment.
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