E-Scooter Fire at Parsons Green

[Horizon22]

On Monday 1st at Parsons Green (poor station always seems to get problems!) it appears and e-scooter battery caught fire and was seemingly moved onto the platforms where it continued to burn. TSSA has said that e-scooters should be banned from trains until "until more research into these batteries has been carried out". Not sure if the RMT have a stance?

Obviously the legislation around e-scooters is generally rather lacking, although banning it might cause more people to not bother - they're quite useful I suppose for the "final mile" aspect of journeys. But obviously you don't want something that's going to spontaneously combust on-board. As the London Fire Brigade notes, these normally occur when the wrong chargers are used. Are their sockets on-board S Stock for cleaning purposes only which someone could have used? Some railway rolling stock have these and they don't often have surge protection even though passengers will try and use them.

E-scooters: Fire on Tube prompts call for London transport ban

E-scooters pose a significant threat to the public, a union says after a fire on London Underground.

www.bbc.co.uk

A ban on carrying e-scooters on London's transport network should be enforced after a battery caught fire on the Tube, a union has said.
Passengers had to abandon a service at Parsons Green station in west London on Monday after a scooter caught fire then continued to burn on the platform. Transport union TSSA said e-scooters posed a "significant threat" to the public and rail staff. It said TfL should halt the carrying of e-scooters on all its services.
Additionally, an e-scooter being held in lost property caught fire at TfL staff accommodation in Stanmore, north-west London, on 26 October. TfL said e-scooters were not allowed to be ridden on the transport network but they could be folded and carried on its services.

A TfL spokesperson said: "We completely understand how worrying it was for our customers and staff when an e-scooter caught alight on a train. "Emergency services attended Parsons Green station and the e-scooter was removed at the first opportunity. While incidents like this are very rare, we take safety on the network extremely seriously and are undertaking a full review, which includes liaising with the London Fire Brigade."It is forbidden to ride e-scooters at stations or on trains, and failure to comply with this by-law is a criminal offence. E-scooters may currently be carried but must be folded for the entirety of the journey."

 

[Bletchleyite]

Much as I am in support of making e-scooters legal, this will presumably be the same issue as cheap imports were causing with hoverboards.

Therefore I'd be happy with a rule that e-scooters that are not part of a legal trial should be banned from public transport and indeed anywhere else, so as to discourage their sale. Indeed, there are so few places you can ride one legally that I don't know why sale wasn't banned pending completion of the trials and development of a suitable specification for legal use on the same basis as an e-bike.

Once legalised, it could move to "only scooters approved under BSwhatever can be carried", again discouraging cheap rubbish without appropriate safeguards e.g. speed limiter.

 

[matt_world2004]

Much as I am in support of making e-scooters legal, this will presumably be the same issue as cheap imports were causing with hoverboards.

Therefore I'd be happy with a rule that e-scooters that are not part of a legal trial should be banned from public transport and indeed anywhere else, so as to discourage their sale. Indeed, there are so few places you can ride one legally that I don't know why sale wasn't banned pending completion of the trials and development of a suitable specification for legal use on the same basis as an e-bike.

Once legalised, it could move to "only scooters approved under BSwhatever can be carried", again discouraging cheap rubbish without appropriate safeguards e.g. speed limiter.

Even escooters that are part of a trial should be banned from public transport . The trial limits them to certain areas and most stations in those areas have parking points for the escooters.like Boris bikes people.should be encouraged to deposit the escooter at their origin station and rent another one at their destination station

 

[Roast Veg]

Even escooters that are part of a trial should be banned from public transport . The trial limits them to certain areas and most stations in those areas have parking points for the escooters.like Boris bikes people.should be encouraged to deposit the escooter at their origin station and rent another one at their destination station

Future scooter ownership (like e-bikes) should be admissible on public transport. Bikes are limited where space it at a premium, an issue not affected by folding scooters.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Even escooters that are part of a trial should be banned from public transport

Why?

. The trial limits them to certain areas and most stations in those areas have parking points for the escooters.like Boris bikes people.should be encouraged to deposit the escooter at their origin station and rent another one at their destination station

Ideally yes, but availability isn't quite like that. I could see the sense in riding one to Wolverton station, then train to Bletchley, then riding it to journey's end.

 

[Cbob]

All devices with lithium ion batteries are at risk of battery failure causing a fire. You may recall the ban on a certain model of Apple MacBooks from flights; some mobile phones etc. The quality of devices with batteries including e-scooters should be regulated, so only certified devices are available at point of sale.

I rarely take my e-bike onto trains/tube but have done when I've had a puncture; I could easily detach the battery and hide it in my backpack if I wanted to.

 

[edwin_m]

I believe all the hireable e-scooters are geofenced so they cease to work if taken outside their operating area, which would almost certainly be the case if they went by train. I presume also anyone hiring one and managing to do anything like this would face a hefty extra charge and/or a ban from the scheme. The scooter operators will probably geofence them to prevent them operating inside stations too, and I haven't tried but I suspect they are deliberately made too heavy to be easily luggable around if they can't move under their own power.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I believe all the hireable e-scooters are geofenced so they cease to work if taken outside their operating area, which would almost certainly be the case if they went by train.

Nope. Milton Keynes's operating area covers 4 out of the 6 stations in the Borough - the only ones not covered are Bow Brickhill and Woburn Sands (corrected).

They are heavy (because the batteries are) but can easily be wheeled unpowered.

 

[341o2]

All devices with lithium ion batteries are at risk of battery failure causing a fire. You may recall the ban on a certain model of Apple MacBooks from flights; some mobile phones etc. The quality of devices with batteries including e-scooters should be regulated, so only certified devices are available at point of sale.

I rarely take my e-bike onto trains/tube but have done when I've had a puncture; I could easily detach the battery and hide it in my backpack if I wanted to.

There have already been fires involving charging escooter batteries, the scooter, the battery and the charger all have to be compatible. If not, there is the risk that something will overheat and catch fire. I can't see how things can be regulated with the internet and the aviailibility of cheap devices

 

[Bletchleyite]

There have already been fires involving charging escooter batteries, the scooter, the battery and the charger all have to be compatible. If not, there is the risk that something will overheat and catch fire. I can't see how things can be regulated with the internet and the aviailibility of cheap devices

Only legalising UKCA or CE marked scooters would be a start.

 

[Towers]

Talk of bans is all very theoretical; in reality e-scooters are well and truly out of the bag and it seems in many/most urban areas, use of supposedly prohibited privately owned examples is rife. Whilst occasional reports crop up of local crackdowns, it's quite clear that the authorities can't do much about them. Adding them to the increasing list of things that are supposedly banned or mandatory on the Tube probably wouldn't make a lot of difference in reality.

 

[theking]

Union leadership bleating about banning them, but I can guarantee their members won't be wanting to enforce the ban on them on the network.

 

[stj]

Wait until EVs start catching fire and closing roads for hours

 

[Vespa]

It sounds like poor quality grey market imports that wouldn't pass our safety standards, electric bikes don't go up in flames that often and neither should eScooters with UK or CE safety mark.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Wait until EVs start catching fire and closing roads for hours

Chevrolet Bolt, anyone...?

That's been subject to a recall in the USA for this exact reason and the advice includes telling the owners not to park it within 50 feet of any other vehicle in the interim.

 

[matt_world2004]

Why?



Ideally yes, but availability isn't quite like that. I could see the sense in riding one to Wolverton station, then train to Bletchley, then riding it to journey's end.

If there isn't a docking point at the station that means it isn't in the trial area and shouldn't be taken there

 

[Lewlew]

If there isn't a docking point at the station that means it isn't in the trial area and shouldn't be taken there

Not every trial scheme uses docks/parking bays

 

[matt_world2004]

Not every trial scheme uses docks/parking bays

No but if they don't use docking bays they are supposed to be left in marked areas in London and any scheme from outside London shouldn't be taken on the tube because ,its outside the trial area for that type of scooter

 

[Bikeman78]

Talk of bans is all very theoretical; in reality e-scooters are well and truly out of the bag and it seems in many/most urban areas, use of supposedly prohibited privately owned examples is rife. Whilst occasional reports crop up of local crackdowns, it's quite clear that the authorities can't do much about them. Adding them to the increasing list of things that are supposedly banned or mandatory on the Tube probably wouldn't make a lot of difference in reality.

Exactly this. I find them mildly irritating but there are hundreds of them and the Police has little interest in dealing with other traffic offences. I can't see them stopping and checking scooters very often. I'd far rather they clamped down on the quad bikes and scramblers but that's another story.

What is the target market for e-scooters? Did owners typically walk, cycle, take the bus or drive previously?

 

[Towers]

Exactly this. I find them mildly irritating but there are hundreds of them and the Police has little interest in dealing with other traffic offences. I can't see them stopping and checking scooters very often. I'd far rather they clamped down on the quad bikes and scramblers but that's another story.

What is the target market for e-scooters? Did owners typically walk, cycle, take the bus or drive previously?

I'd guess it's a mix, depending on location?

The thing is, aside from those who misuse them - and that could apply equally to everything from motorcars to pushbikes - it's unavoidably the case that e-scooters aren't just some fashionable gadget, but in fact are probably the biggest potential development in green urban personal transport for generations. The government seem intent on tying themselves up in knots for as long as possible to avoid approving them, but ultimately I don't think they'll want to be seen to say no to them, either!

 

[Non Multi]

What is the target market for e-scooters? Did owners typically walk, cycle, take the bus or drive previously?

Generally, people under 50 doing short journeys under 2 miles. The obvious advantage over a push bike, is that its dimensions make it far easier to keep indoors, so less likely to be stolen.

 

[Bikeman78]

I'd guess it's a mix, depending on location?

The thing is, aside from those who misuse them - and that could apply equally to everything from motorcars to pushbikes - it's unavoidably the case that e-scooters aren't just some fashionable gadget, but in fact are probably the biggest potential development in green urban personal transport for generations. The government seem intent on tying themselves up in knots for as long as possible to avoid approving them, but ultimately I don't think they'll want to be seen to say no to them, either!

Generally, people under 50 doing short journeys under 2 miles. The obvious advantage over a push bike, is that its dimensions make it far easier to keep indoors, so less likely to be stolen.

Which poses another question; who is selling them if they cannot legally be used? I agree that trying to ban them is pointless. There are already too many.

Hopefully not too many former walkers/cyclists have bought them. That won't do anything for the health of the nation. I must say I find them too slow. I can usually outrun them on my bicycle.

 

[Non Multi]

Which poses another question; who is selling them if they cannot legally be used? I agree that trying to ban them is pointless. There are already too many.

Hopefully not too many former walkers/cyclists have bought them. That won't do anything for the health of the nation. I must say I find them too slow. I can usually outrun them on my bicycle.

There's loads of retailers selling them. They can be used on private land which is probably why they've not been banned from sale outright. The same health argument could be made with people who only drive everywhere, and there's even more of those individuals out there.

 

[Vespa]

They are very popular in Spain, they're everywhere private and hired no one looks at them twice.

 

[221129]

They are very popular in Spain, they're everywhere private and hired no one looks at them twice.

They're popular all over Europe.

 

[Vespa]

They're popular all over Europe.

I would imagine so, I can only speak of what I have observed.

 

[Mojo]

They're popular all over Europe.

And the USA. Most cities of size outside the north east has hire schemes for them. Even New York which is a bit like London in that regard has just launched a trial scheme in an area of the Bronx.

 

[Mojo]

With effect from Monday, 13th December, E-scooters and E-unicycles will be banned from the TfL network.

 

[Towers]

E-unicycle?

 

[172007]

E-unicycle?

It's basically a wheel with a platform each side, the wheel goes between floor and just below the knee. Foot on each platform with the wheel between yiu legs, Lean forward to accelerate and lead back it stops. They are fast a and very agile.