EXCLUSIVE: MP calls for e-bike battery safety to be "election issue"

An MP has said tighter regulation around lithium batteries, which resulted in the deaths of at least 13 people last year, should be an "election issue".

Downtown Radio was given exclusive access to last night's All Party Parliamentary Group discussing the alarming rise in fires caused by e-bikes and e-scooters.

The meeting was attended by politicians from across the political spectrum, NHS workers, firefighters, charities and the family and friends of those who've lost their lives.

The APPG heard from Scott Peden, who lost his partner and two young children in a fire in Cambridge last year. He nearly lost his own life as he tried to save them, with doctors putting him in an induced coma after he was rushed to hospital with severe burns and lithium poisoning.

The blaze started when his e-bike battery exploded while it was charging overnight, and since then he's been working with Downtown Radio to raise awareness of the dangers of the devices.

"It was absolutely amazing", he said.

"The support we've got from all different walks of life is absolutely amazing. It will take some time, but it leaves me very enthusiastic that we will make some change very soon - very soon."

"Unfortunately, because of the tragic circumstances of my story, I think it is being heard. It is a tragedy in every sense of the word."

LISTEN: Scott features in our documentary, 'E-BIKE INVESTIGATION: The man who "lost everything" in 10 minutes', you can listen to it below:

Scott also pledged to work closely with the family and friends of 21-year-old Sofia Duarte, who tragically lost her life in a similar fire in London on New Years Day 2023.

Sofia's close friend, Alda Simoes, held tightly onto Scott's hand throughout last night's event at Portcullis House, Westminster.

"It's been horrible, completely horrible", Alda said.

"Not just for me, but her mum is completely devastated, her life is not the same. You can't get over a death like this.

"Every time someone dies from an e-bike fire, we have to live through the same nightmare because we know another person feels the same way we felt."

An "election issue"

Yvonne Fovargue MP, who chaired last night's APPG, has called on all parties to unite around preventing more deaths from e-bike and e-scooter related fires, calling it an "election issue".

Speaking after the meeting, Fovargue said that it should be "an absolute top priority to warn people of the dangers of using e-bikes, as well as the actual benefits of green transport."

"I do believe there is a lot more that the government could and should be doing on this.

"This is a situation that has affected all of our constituents at one point or another.

"In the future everyone will know someone who has been affected by a lithium ion battery going up in flames", she added.

The future

The 'future' was very much at the forefront of the panel members' minds last night.

As the UK and other countries look to build towards 'green economies' in the coming decades, lithium batteries will become even more ever-present in our everyday lives.

Lord Foster of Bath has been campaigning for better safety around the batteries for years.

Speaking after last night's meeting, he told us they "all want lithium batteries to succeed", but it must be done with safety in mind.

"We have a situation where we have a product that is vitally important to the future of our country", he said.

"But we also need people to be aware that if they're not properly used, they're not properly designed in the first place, or if they're even charged with the wrong charging system, they can cause huge problems."

Charity Electrical Safety First has published a draft Safety Bill, which is being taken forward by Yvonne Fovargue MP as a '10 Minute Rule Bill'.

It's hoped this will be read in parliament later this year.

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