Today I proposed a motion at the meeting of Cambridgeshire County Council about the safety of lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes, e-scooters, and other appliances. I was delighted that it passed unanimously. This is what I said.

“Many here today will be aware of the tragic death of a mother and her two children in Cambridge nearly sixteen months ago. They died in a fire which took hold rapidly in their home, when a faulty replacement e-bicycle battery caught alight. It had been purchased online after the original battery had been stolen.

Lithium-ion batteries are increasingly being used in a wide range of household goods. When they overheat—which they can do for a variety of reasons—this can lead to unstoppable thermal runaway, uncontrolled chemical reactions, explosions, and fires which are very difficult to control.

The importation of lithium-ion batteries into the UK without adequate requirements for independent testing is a particular risk, especially when bought online. While high street shops have a responsibility to ensure the safety of electrical goods they sell, online retailers do not. It is even possible to buy online electrical products no longer available on the high street because they have been recalled by the manufacturers.

Increasing use of lithium-ion batteries has led to increasing risk of fire. Fires in people’s homes, as in the Cambridge tragedy. Fires in waste collection vehicles. Fires at waste sites. A growing threat—to residents in their homes, to council waste crews, and to firefighters. Local authorities such as ours, and our partners are doing what we can to spread information. But it’s not enough.

Lord Foster of Bath and the charity Electrical Safety First have been calling for some time for changes in the law to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries.

• Firstly, there must be a regime of independent approval testing so that the UK public can be assured that the batteries they are buying are safe.
• Secondly, there must be regulations for the safe disposal of lithium-ion batteries.
• And thirdly, there must be adequate controls to address specific fire safety concerns. These include the safety of chargers, and of conversion kits such as those that turn pushbikes into e-bikes.

This motion asks that we, as a council, endorse the proposals by Lord Foster and Electrical Safety First.

Furthermore, it asks that the Chief Executive write to the Minister to encourage the Government to support new legislation; and to our partners in the Fire Authority, RECAP, and its constituent authorities, to spread the message and encourage them to make their own representations.”