New safety plan set for Milton Keynes and wider Bucks addressing e-vehicle fires

The Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority has been asked to back a new piece of legislation proposed by Electrical Safety First.

The UK charity has drafted the ‘Safety of Electric-Powered Micromobility Vehicles and Lithium Batteries Bill’ to help end what it called a ‘dangerous trend’.

The number of fires caused by lithium-ion batteries in e-scooters and e-bikes is now four times what it was in 2020.

Electrical Safety First said this has caused ‘deaths, hospitalisations, homelessness, and staggering financial losses’.

Over the same period, more than 190 people have been injured, and at least 13 people have died due to these fires.

Electrical Safety First said: “The UK is now facing a disturbing projection of nearly one e-bike or e-scooter fire per day this year, a significant leap from just over one per week in 2020.”

The Bucks and Milton Keynes councillors who sit on the authority are being asked to back the bill.

A report by the head of the authority Simon Rouse says the bill will hopefully ‘ensure greater safety for both members of the public and firefighters’.

The new legislation mandates a third-party safety assessment for all e-bikes, e-scooters, and their lithium-ion batteries before they enter the UK market.

It also requires the responsible disposal of lithium batteries and sets standards for conversion kits and charging systems.