In an effort to improve station and passenger safety across its network, Northern have announced the ban on all e-scooters, hoverboards and e-skateboards across its trains and stations in the North of England.
This new code of conduct will come into effect on Thursday 1st December, and will directly combat the potential fire risk posed by the lithium batteries in the devices, which have the tendency to overheat and catch fire. This will enhance the safety of passenger travel, removing unnecessary risks throughout the network.
For accessibility reasons, electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are currently exempt form the ban, but they must be registered with the train operator’s own Mobility Scooter Permit Scheme. This ensures that devices are checked by a varying range of criteria that ensures they are safe to use on-board.
Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:
“The safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority.
“As these devices have become more and more popular, so have the horror stories of lithium batteries overheating and catching fire.
“Most of these devices are not actually approved for use in the UK – and from 1 December our staff will refuse travel to anyone attempting to board one of our trains, or access one of our stations with such a device.”
Being the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,000 services a day across 500 stations, this safety measure will ensure the stability of upholding of standards within Northern’s network.
On Sunday, 11th December Northern’s new timetable comes into effect and all customers, especially those who have made regular journeys on the same train times, are advised to check online journey planners before they travel to ensure their service operates at the same time and calls at the same stations.
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