E-scooter users face ban from Hartlepool trains on fire safety grounds

Northern – which runs services through Horden, Hartlepool, Seaton Carew and Billingham stations – says the ban is a safety measure because of the potential risk posed by the lithium batteries the machine use.

The ruling will come into effect on Thursday, December 1.

Northern say the batteries can overheat and catch fire.

Electric wheelchairs and e-bikes are exempt from the ban – as are mobility scooters, as long as they are registered with the train operator’s Mobility Scooter Permit Scheme, which checks devices by a range of criteria to make sure they are safe.

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.”

She added: “Most of these devices are not actually approved for use in the UK – and our staff will refuse travel to anyone attempting to board one of our trains, or access one of our stations with such a device.”

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with nearly 2,000 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.

On Sunday, December 11, its 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.

Further details are available at www.northernrailway.co.uk/