E-bike battery safety
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Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK
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Raised concerns about the prevalence of unsafe, non-compliant e-bikes.
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Discussed the unintended consequences of initiatives aimed at increasing cycling safety and regulation on illegal e-bikes
- Cycling UK slides
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Peter Eland, Bicycle Association
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Presented data showing a decline in bike sales since 2015.
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Emphasised the need to distinguish between legal and illegal e-bikes.
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Highlighted challenges with overseas suppliers selling directly to consumers, bypassing safety checks.
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Proposed a two-pronged approach:
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Tackling the risks associated with battery fires.
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Ensuring access to reputable e-bikes for consumers.
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Sgt Stuart Ford, City of London Police Cycle Team
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Outlined enforcement efforts to improve road safety through e-bike regulation:
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382 illegal e-bikes seized.
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Focused on enforcing traffic regulations to reduce uninsured vehicles.
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Ensured e-bikes are pedal-assisted to meet Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPC) standards. He then explained the difficulties with trying to top people on illegal e-bikes
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Explained Section 163, which empowers officers to stop and seize any vehicle on public roads that fails to comply with legal standards.
- City of London Police slides
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Sarah Smith, Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS)
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Shared statistics on fires related to lithium batteries in e-bikes:
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January 2022: 93 fires.
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January 2023: 199 fires, resulting in 10 fatalities.
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OPSS is targeting online sellers and marketplaces to close down illegitimate vendors.
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Emphasised the need for the Product Safety and Metrology Bill to regulate online marketplaces and provide further legislative options.
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Ben Foley, Wheels for Wellbeing
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Addressed the impact of e-bike regulation on disabled individuals who rely on adapted e-bikes.
- City of London Police slides
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Jill Patterson, Leigh Day
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Identified online shopping as a major channel for purchasing illegal e-bike conversion kits.
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Highlighted a lack of understanding among consumers regarding recourse for product safety issues.
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Provided an example of a fatal incident involving a non-compliant e-bike, underscoring the lack of legal frameworks for redress in such cases.
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