Campaigners such as Tanni Grey-Thompson have raised alarms that drivers with disabilities could be left out from the move toward electric cars due to EV chargers that lack proper access.
Rising Numbers Yet Accessibility Gaps
The quantity of public charging stations in Britain has been rising fast, with around 17,400 set up in the year to July. However, the absence of regulations means disabled drivers frequently cannot rely on they will be able to operate them.
Common obstacles include elevated curbs, loose stone sections, screens mounted too tall, or charging cords that are weighty.
Government Steps
Just this week, the House of Lords approved a change to the government’s planning and infrastructure bill that would grant authority to enforce accessibility standards on public EV chargers.
Lady Grey-Thompson, who earned eleven golds across five Games, now serves as a independent member in the Lords. She often draws attention to shortcomings in transport access, including a recent incident where she was needed to exit a train on her hands and knees due to no available help.
"Those with access needs have been completely forgotten about," she commented. "I've sought to transition to an EV on several occasions. It has been extremely difficult."
Sector and Campaigner Perspectives
The chief executive of EVA England, said, "We're currently risking a huge number of users missing out from the move to electric cars. Close to half of electric car users have problems with using public EV stations."
She called for the authorities to publish its revised accessibility standard and to take enabling powers to make the rules compulsory.
Research commissioned by the Motability Foundation shows the UK has up to 1.35 million motorists with disabilities, with 390,000 without access to home-based EV charging.
Regulations and Forward View
Right now, only 2.3% of EV stations comply with the standards established by the national standards body. Work to ensure its accessibility standard PAS 1899 more feasible have stalled.
Jamie Borwick, who tabled the amendment, stated that installing unsuitable chargers today would impact the future and limit choices for those with disabilities when non-electric vehicles are no longer sold from 2035 onward.
"We will end up with a whole mass of charging points that aren't accessible," he noted. "It is essential to design for accessibility from the outset."
The chief executive of the Motability Foundation said that accessibility requirements should be become compulsory. "It is crucial that all providers of public EV charging assume responsibility for making sure that their equipment is inclusive."
Vicky Read stated, "No motorists should be excluded in the move to electric cars, and this includes motorists requiring access accommodations."
Government Response
A Department for Transport official commented, "We are dedicated to making sure disabled drivers can conveniently recharge their electric cars, which is why we ordered an analysis into inclusive design for charging stations."
"The analysis is complete, and its conclusions will be published shortly. We remain engaged with industry on how we can improve access to chargers for disabled drivers."
