Bedford commuters: Thameslink to ban e-scooters - here’s why and when it will happen

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is reminding passengers from next Thursday (June 1), e-scooters, e-unicycles, e-skateboards and hoverboards will be banned from its network.

The decision follows a number of incidents on the rail and Tube network where the lithium-ion batteries have caught fire after getting severely overheated.

Not only that, but some have exploded and toxic gas released.

Jenny Saunders, GTR’s customer services director, said: “Too many e-scooters have poor-quality lithium batteries that do not comply with European standards and make them a serious safety hazard, with the risk of explosion, fire and release of poisonous gas.”

However, e-bikes and mobility scooters are still allowed on-board, as they meet a minimum legal standard, but cannot be charged on trains or at stations.