Lime bikes overheat due to Grand Central glare

The scorching glare emitted from Birmingham's Grand Central building caused Lime e-bikes and scooters parked outside to overheat.

Firefighters were called to Navigation Street after one bike started giving off smoke outside New Street station. They found several were dangerously hot and moved them to a shaded area across the road.

The mirrored exterior of Grand Central has caused problems before. Ten years ago, commuters reported being "blindsided" as reflected sunlight created intense "hot spots" outside.

On Thursday, BBC News visited the site and recorded a surface temperature of 43C using an infrared temperature gun - about 11C higher than Birmingham's forecast maximum temperature.

A Lime spokesperson said - based on information provided by the fire service - vehicles' overheating "[appeared] to have been linked to heat radiating from the reflective surface of a nearby building".

The hire company added that it was "not due to an issue with our hardware".

West Midlands Fire Service added that it believed it had been caused by radiant heat from a nearby building rather than a fault with the batteries.

The bikes and scooters were later moved into the shade, where firefighters used a thermal imaging camera to monitor their temperatures.

Checks showed the vehicles cooled significantly once they had been relocated, the service said.

It was previously reported in 2016 that light reflecting from Grand Central made it hard to see as well as the building's mirrored design creating hotspots around the station.

At the time, Birmingham City Council said it would "dull down" areas close to the taxi rank and north-west corner.

Passer-by Aamina Omar, who was in the area on Thursday, described walking under the hotspot as "being hit with some sort of tornado".

She was not shocked to learn e-bikes were smoking under the glaring sun.

"As soon as you walk towards that corner, you just feel this heat upon you," she said.

"Network Rail need to put something up to counteract the heat because it's going to get worse."

Leon Trimble, from Birmingham, said he admired the architecture of the building but questioned how practical it would be as temperatures increase.

"If they're going to put Lime bikes here regularly, they should have a shelter for them but luckily this bit of town people are always moving," he said.

"If there was a bus stop it could be a fire hazard."

The incident happened during a spell of hot weather across the West Midlands, with emergency services urging people to take extra care as hard surfaces and street furniture can become much hotter than the surrounding air.

West Midlands Fire Service said it had liaised with Birmingham City Council following the incident and understood the authority would contact the bike supplier about moving the drop-off location away from the affected area.

Network Rail said: "We are aware of an incident on Wednesday involving Lime bikes on Navigation Street.

"We are working with both Lime and Birmingham City Council to understand what happened."

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