E-bikes and e-scooters face Sydney train and metro ban

The government is considering plans to ban e-bikes and e-scooters from Sydney’s train and metro network amid fears of onboard fires sparked by lithium batteries.

In the same week as a portable charging pack caught fire mid-air on a Virgin flight, signs began popping up at Sydney train stations advising of a new request to keep e-bikes off trains.

The Sydney Trains message.Credit: Facebook/CycleSydney

“Please don’t bring e-bikes, e-scooters and e-skateboards on board Sydney Trains services,” read the sign, which was shared online by cycling enthusiasts. “Some lithium batteries can pose a fire risk.”

But they were erected prematurely. NSW and Victorian state governments wrote to the federal government this week asking for stronger laws around the importation of low-quality e-bikes and e-scooters.

Until that changes, Transport Minister John Graham said NSW was “seriously considering options including a temporary ban on trains until we are satisfied that regulations are tight enough, with public safety as our highest priority”.

If the government goes ahead with the ban, the posters will be used as a “request” before the ban comes into effect.

In briefings with stakeholder groups this week, Transport for NSW officials said they were planning to start a ban from September 1.

E-bikes are often used by food delivery drivers.Credit: Louie Douvis

E-bikes often contain lithium-ion batteries, which have become a major source of concern for fire authorities. They have regularly featured in home fires when e-bike and e-scooter chargers have caught fire overnight.

Lithium-ion fires occur during what is known as a “thermal runway”, in which energy, being released as heat, is being produced faster than it can be dispersed.

Bicycle NSW chief executive Peter McLean said the forthcoming policy was a “disproportionate response to the likelihood of any risk”.

One group most affected by the ban will be food delivery drivers, who often use modified, rented e-bikes and use the city’s rail network to travel to areas with higher demand.

McLean said only modified vehicles posed a threat, and the group might support banning e-bikes that did not have a proper certification.

“I don’t know of any high-quality standard product which has presented any issues,” he said.

Growing trend to ban

The announcement also comes in the same week as Victoria’s transport department announced similar plans.

On Tuesday, that state’s Department of Transport and Planning released a summary paper that proposed banning the vehicles from all rail services.

“A fire on a train is a serious safety issue because it may be difficult to evacuate passengers on a crowded service or where trains are in between stations,” the paper read. “Electrical fires from these devices can start without warning ... and quickly spread toxic smoke.”

In March, most e-bikes were banned from the London Underground, where only foldable e-bikes are allowed. The rail union threatened industrial action after an e-bike caught fire on a Tube platform in January. The incident could have caused mass casualties, the union argued.

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