Some e-bikes to be banned on trains over fire risk
BBCA ban on non-folding or modified e-bikes will be introduced on the Merseyrail network after a safety review.
The review highlighted the challenges of responding to a lithium-ion battery fire, which it said could happen very quickly and with little warning.
Neil Grabham, managing director of Merseyrail, said: "While these incidents remain rare, the risk they pose in a railway environment, particularly one running underground trains, means we can't ignore them."
The ban will begin on 1 January 2027.
The following items will not be allowed in Merseyrail stations, trains, car parks or cycle storage facilities:
- Non-folding e-bikes
- Modified or adapted e-bikes
- E-bike conversion kits
- Detached lithium-ion e-bike batteries carried separately
When the ban comes into force, passengers travelling with a prohibited item may be refused entry to the network, asked to leave a train or station, or face enforcement under Railway Byelaws.
E-scooters have been banned on the Merseyrail network since 2023.
Passengers will still be able to travel with standard pedal bicycles, folding e-bikes, approved mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs that meet national requirements.
'Keep passengers safe'
Merseyrail said it remained committed to supporting active and sustainable travel across the Liverpool City Region.
Grabham said: "Keeping our passengers and colleagues safe is our number one priority.
"Like many transport operators across the country, we've been looking closely at the growing number of incidents involving lithium-ion batteries.
"We've taken this decision following a detailed safety review and because we believe it is the right thing to do to help prevent a serious incident before it happens."
The operator said in the coming months it would focus on education and raising awareness of the ban to ensure everyone understood the changes and had time to plan ahead.
Similar action has been taken by several transport operators, including Transport for London.
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