From ULEZ to e-bike fires.
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00:00Hello, I'm Jack Abella with London TV and this is the latest transport roundup from
00:06the capital. A union has called for e-bikes to be banned from the London underground following
00:12an explosion at Rainers Lane station. The incident occurred when a cyclist was wheeling
00:17the e-bike towards a train and was about to board it when the bike exploded. The explosion
00:23sent toxic fumes across the station and caused temporary disruption to the Piccadilly and
00:28Metropolitan lines causing delays on the London underground. The London fire brigade was
00:33called to extinguish the blaze as a result of the incident. Aslef, the train drivers
00:39union has now threatened strike action unless Transport for London implements a ban on e-bikes.
00:46An Aslef union rep has said an explosion on board a train would have almost certainly
00:51led to serious casualties or deaths. The Aslef spokesman added that if it led to a derailment
00:58there was a real risk of a mass casualty event. It beggars belief that Transport for
01:03London is still allowing these potentially explosive devices on their services. Now Transport
01:11for London has responded and said their primary concern is people's safety and they were reviewing
01:17their risk assessment following the fire caused by the e-bike. Londoners are facing significant
01:25changes to the city's road system especially for drivers. On April the 7th the new Silvertown
01:32tunnel will open along with tolls for drivers at both the new tunnel and the existing Blackwall
01:38tunnel in East London. Drivers will now be charged £8 a day during peak hours. Now while
01:45some support the new tunnel arguing it will reduce congestion on the old Blackwall tunnel
01:50and improve the reliability of the crossing which frequently closes for maintenance by
01:56offering an additional route, critics are concerned that the tunnel will exacerbate
02:02pollution and congestion. Caroline Russell, a Green Party councillor, has voiced concerns
02:09that the funding for the tunnel through the tolls might lead future mayors to maintain
02:13high traffic levels to ensure revenue potentially undermining environmental objectives. Speaking
02:21of environmental news in the capital, the controversial ultra-low emission zone expansion
02:26which was introduced in August 2023 has reportedly led to a 27% reduction in nitrogen dioxide
02:34levels across London. The expansion of EULAs which extended to the outer zones of London
02:40has been praised by London's Mayor Sadiq Khan who implemented it and he has highlighted
02:45the pollution reduction. However, critics particularly from the Conservative Party have
02:51dismissed the data claiming that it relies on assumptions and speculative projections.