A London borough has seen the number of e-bike fires drop by half after running a safety awareness campaign.

Tower Hamlets produced its ChargeSafe campaign, which includes an animated video, to spread awareness of the danger of e-bike batteries in conjunction with the London Fire Brigade.

The video highlights the vital importance of using the correct equipment to charge e-bikes, and following its release the number of e-bike battery fires in the borough has halved from two to one.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman said: “Following the launch of the ChargeSafe Tower Hamlets campaign and the removal of unsafe batteries from our local high streets, the number of e-bike fires in our borough has decreased from approximately two to one per month.

“While this is a step in the right direction, it remains insufficient. These incidents pose a significant risk to life, particularly in Tower Hamlets, where 80 percent of homes are flats, meaning fires can spread rapidly from one home to another.

“The ChargeSafe animation is designed to be a visual and accessible way of informing people on what action they can take to keep themselves and their neighbours safe.

“Our residents are always our main priority, however I recognise that communities across the country are facing similar challenges.

“Therefore, this animation is for everyone, and we welcome councils and organisations to use the video and help us share this important message widely.”

A first screening of the animation took place on 13 August at a joint engagement event at Shoreditch Fire Station hosted by London Fire Brigade, Deliveroo, Tower Hamlets Council and Hackney Council. The purpose of the event was to share safety advice with Deliveroo’s drivers.

London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner for Prevention & Protection, Craig Carter, said: “E-bikes and e-scooters remain one of London’s fastest-growing fire risks and on average, we’re seeing a fire in the capital once every two days. Sadly, some of these fires have had a devastating effect on lives and livelihoods.

“It’s really important that people who use e-bikes and e-scooters are receiving advice about how they can use these devices safely.

“We’re not as confident that some products, like conversion kits, batteries and chargers that are available online are properly regulated to ensure consumer safety. We welcome the Product Safety & Metrology Bill, as outlined in the King’s Speech last month, which we hope will set a pathway for the necessary action to be taken to protect people from these types of fires, whilst allowing consumers to purchase with confidence and use these products safely.”