Transport unions have called for e-bikes to be banned on the London Underground after an explosion on a station platform last month.

Aslef, the train drivers’ union, have threatened strike action if a ban is not introduced following a blaze at Rayners Lane station on 27 February.

Firefighters responded to an burning e-bike, destroyed by the fire, with no reported injuries from the incident.

The Aslef union claimed that an internal London Underground investigation concluded that the e-bike was “only moments away from boarding the train”.

Finn Brennan, Aslef’s organiser on the Underground, said: “An explosion onboard a train would almost certainly have led to serious casualties or deaths.

“And if it led to a derailment, there was a real risk of a mass casualty event.”

Aslef health and safety representatives added: “We will be issuing safety advice to our members, reminding them of their right to remove themselves from dangerous situations, and also instituting a ballot for industrial action unless TfL does the right thing.”

The incident at Rayners Lane station released toxic fumes, temporarily disrupting the Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines.

According to the London Fire Brigade, the fire is believed to have been caused by a fault within a lithium-ion battery for an e-bike.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Following this e-bike fire, we’re reminding businesses, including rail operators, to carefully consider their fire risk assessments, and we’re encouraging transport operators to consider whether they have adequate safety measures in place should an e-bike fire happen on their service.”

In 2021, TfL banned e-scooters and e-unicycles from the Tube. The action was prompted by two incidents involving fires on a District line train and a Jubilee line depot.

Mr Brennan called the banning of scooters and other battery-operated vehicles “absolute hypocrisy” and a “real risk” to passengers, staff and Tube drivers.

He added: “It beggars belief that TfL is still allowing these potentially explosive devices on their services. Our health & safety reps have been pointing out the dangers for years, but still TfL refuses to act. It is now common to see groups of e-bike riders board trains together, exponentially increasing the dangers of a fire and explosion, as a fire on one could cause others to explode.”

The RMT and the TSSA unions have both backed the call for a ban.

RMT said it has raised e-bike concerns with London Mayor Sadiq Khan and “urged” TfL to take action.

It stressed that had the e-bike been inside a tube carriage, those on board would be at “severe risk”.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “TfL needs to take immediate action and ban e-bikes from London Underground just as they do with e-scooters.

“We have been calling for TfL to take this action to safeguard tube workers and passengers alike for over a year. We’ve raised our concerns with London Mayor Sadiq Khan and urge TfL to do the right thing and take action now.”

Representatives from TSSA “stormed out” of a meeting with TfL on Tuesday (12 March) after the transport operator refused to issue an immediate ban on e-bikes.

TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: “We are appalled that TfL won’t ban e-bikes given the fire at Rayners’ Lane.

“It’s simple common sense to protect staff and passengers on the underground from the fire risk that e-bikes pose. We are discussing the next steps with our members. Nothing is off the table at this point.”

A spokesperson for TfL told The Standard: “Our primary concern is always the safety of our customers and staff, and we regularly review our risk assessments and the controls we have in place to ensure our customers can travel safely.

“Following the recent incident at Rayners Lane station, we are reviewing our risk assessment and continue to talk to the London Fire Brigade about this incident.”

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