Tower Hamlets Council continues its bid to tackle e-bike and e-scooter battery fires with the launch of a new safety animation, created in partnership with London Fire Brigade, that will be made available to councils across the country.
E-bike battery related fires have been reported up and down the UK. In April, fire services in Manchester warned the public after a blaze destroyed a home in Bury. In July, another house fire took place in Warwickshire.
There has also been significant news coverage about Scott Peden, who sadly lost his partner and two children in Cambridgeshire because of a fire started by an e-bike battery.
Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman said:
"Following the launch of the ChargeSafe Tower Hamlets campaign and the removal of unsafe batteries from our local high streets, the number of e-bike fires in our borough has decreased from approximately two to one per month.
"While this is a step in the right direction, it remains insufficient. These incidents pose a significant risk to life, particularly in Tower Hamlets, where 80 percent of homes are flats, meaning fires can spread rapidly from one home to another.
"The ChargeSafe animation is designed to be a visual and accessible way of informing people on what action they can take to keep themselves and their neighbours safe.
"Our residents are always our main priority, however I recognise that communities across the country are facing similar challenges.
“Therefore, this animation is for everyone, and we welcome councils and organisations to use the video and help us share this important message widely.”
A first screening of the animation took place on 13 August at a joint engagement event at Shoreditch Fire Station hosted by London Fire Brigade, Deliveroo, Tower Hamlets Council and Hackney Council. The purpose of the event was to share safety advice with Deliveroo’s drivers.
London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner for Prevention & Protection, Craig Carter, said:
“E-bikes and e-scooters remain one of London’s fastest-growing fire risks and on average, we’re seeing a fire in the capital once every two days. Sadly, some of these fires have had a devastating effect on lives and livelihoods.
“It’s really important that people who use e-bikes and e-scooters are receiving advice about how they can use these devices safely.
“We’re not as confident that some products, like conversion kits, batteries and chargers that are available online are properly regulated to ensure consumer safety. We welcome the Product Safety & Metrology Bill, as outlined in the King’s Speech last month, which we hope will set a pathway for the necessary action to be taken to protect people from these types of fires, whilst allowing consumers to purchase with confidence and use these products safely."
ChargeSafe Tower Hamlets is a localised adaptation of London Fire Brigade’s campaign. To date, it has prompted the East London Council to write to the previous Government to call for improved legislation, more funding for local authorities and greater research into the issue.
Additionally, it has seen the roll-out of a multi-faceted awareness campaign that aims to meet the communication needs of the various communities in the borough. This has resulted in the campaign winning the Gold Community Social Impact Award at the Clear Channel Outdoor Media Awards.
Alongside the campaign, the Council’s Trading Standards Team has been working hard to remove unsafe batteries from the market by visiting local shops and businesses. So far, they found 93 imported and unsafe lithium batteries in shops which were removed from sale.
If you want to find out more information about the campaign and watch the animation, please visit www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/chargesafe. If you want to discuss terms of use, please contact the Communications Team at Tower Hamlets Council: communications@towerhamlets.gov.uk.
Posted on Wednesday 14th August 2024