Fines will come into effect from January 1, 2027
08:30, 14 Jul 2026Updated 10:20, 14 Jul 2026
From January, fines will be handed out for those travelling with an e-bike(Image: Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)
Electronic bikes are set to be banned on the Merseyrail network over fire concerns. Following a detailed safety review, the regional rail operator has confirmed it will enforce the ban from January 1 next year.
While fires involving e-bikes are rare, they can happen very quickly and with little warning. In railway environments, particularly stations, tunnels and trains, the consequences of a battery fire could have serious consequences. Merseyrail’s safety review highlighted the challenges of responding to a lithium-ion battery fire.
The ban will apply across all Merseyrail stations, including station buildings, car parks and cycle storage facilities, as well as onboard trains.
E-scooters have already been banned on the Merseyrail network since 2023. Non-folding e-bikes, modified or adapted bikes, conversion kits and detached lithium ion batteries will not be permitted on a Merseyrail service.
Passengers will still be able to travel with standard pedal bicycles, folding e-bikes, approved mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs that meet national requirements. The ECHO understands the ban will come into effect in due course, with penalties to be introduced from New Year’s Day.
You can see e-bikes on the streets of many towns and cities across the country(Image: Cambridge News)
The operator is keen to educate users in the run up to January 1 but will not permit the bikes on trains. This is thought to be around the number of tunnels around the Merseyrail network and the lack of windows on the class 777 trains.
Neil Grabham, Managing Director at Merseyrail, 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.
“While these incidents remain rare, the risk they pose in a railway environment, particularly one running underground trains, means we can’t ignore them.
A general picture of a Merseyrail train at Headbolt Lane(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)
“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.”
Merseyrail says it will spend the remainder of 2026 focusing on education and awareness enforcement. The operator will work with passengers, schools and colleges to ensure everyone understands the changes and has time to plan-ahead.
From January 1, passengers travelling with a banned item may be refused entry to the network, asked to leave a train or station, or face enforcement under the railway byelaws.
The decision follows similar action taken by several transport operators, including Transport for London who became the first to introduce the ban in March last year.
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