Rail companies operating in the region have banned e-scooters on trains and stations – coming into effect at the weekend or next week.
From Sunday, May 21, Great Western Railway (GWR) customers were no longer allowed to bring e-scooters onto GWR trains or stations.
This is because e-scooters pose a fire risk. There is potential for their batteries to suffer from ‘severe overheating.’
The chances of fire are ‘small’, rail companies say – but there have been recent incidents of e-scooters catching fire on other forms of public transport.
“If unchecked, this carries particular risks in enclosed spaces on board trains,” said GWR.
Unlike e-bikes or mobility scooters, e-scooters ‘are not currently regulated and are not required to meet minimum safety standards for vehicles,’ the company added.
Customers bringing e-scooters onto GWR trains or stations will be asked to leave.
Unattended e-scooters will be treated as abandoned and will be safely disposed of.
Similar rules are in force at other rail services, including for Transport for London, which runs the Elizabeth line service running through Maidenhead and Slough.
Passengers are not allowed to carry e-scooters or e-unicycles on TfL services, even when folded. This has been the case since December 2021, because of TfL that broke out on its network.
On South Western Railway (SWR) stations and trains, e-scooters, e-unicycles, e-skateboards and hoverboards will be banned from next Thursday (June 1).
Electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are exempt from the ban, as are mobility scooters for those with accessibility needs. Customers are advised to check with staff if unsure.
SWR says customers will also not be allowed to charge these devices at its stations or trains. They will not be accepted as lost property.
Jane Lupson, SWR’s Head of Safety, said:
“We understand that these devices are popular but the safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority.
“Until greater regulation and testing can be brought in to ensure the safety of those travelling on trains, e-scooters will remain banned.”
Most read
Timothy Seale, left; Natasha Carroll, right.
Top Articles
Disturbing footage of a ‘murderous’ attack in Slough, where a man was stabbed 34 times and then run over by his killer, has been shown at the opening of a murder trial.
Timothy Seale, left; Natasha Carroll, right.
A Maidenhead couple who went on a nine-day crime spree – robbing from multiple shops while armed with weapons – have been given prison sentences of eight and five years each.
A police cordon in place at Burnham Park
‘Reassurance patrols’ will continue in the park, police said, and an appeal has been issued for anyone who might have information to make a report.
© Copyright 2024 Baylis Community Media CIC All right reserved
