EV Charging Leaving Disabled Drivers Behind

A new report has found that England's electric vehicle charging infrastructure is overlooking disabled drivers.

Transport Focus is calling for the Government to outline its plan for how, and when, an accessible EV charging infrastructure will be delivered.

The independent watchdog says disabled users need confidence in the charging network, particularly as a significant proportion of their homes are not suited to the installation of a home charger.

Despite the government’s transition to zero emissions vehicles and ZEV mandate, there are no chargers on England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads that have been accredited with the voluntary standards for accessible charging.

Guidelines introduced in 2022 to provide an accessibility standard for chargepoints are not a compulsory requirement and EV drivers still report encountering significant barriers such as small bays preventing them getting out of the vehicle, raised kerbs, plinths and bollards in front of charge points, poor locations of charge points in relation to other motorway service facilities. They can also find it difficult to handle equipment.

Transport Focus is calling for:

• an urgent focus on delivering accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure across England’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads

• for government to explore the role of regulation for mandatory accessibility standards to secure better outcomes for disabled drivers

• ensure accessible electric vehicle charging standards fully meet disabled users’ needs and are straightforward for providers to interpret and implement

• outcomes to be appropriately monitored, with continued co-design to ensure progress can be sustained and tracked and action taken as necessary

• immediate gaps in the accessibility of existing electric vehicle chargepoints to be addressed.

  
  

“Disabled motorists should be able to feel secure in the knowledge that they can easily charge their electric vehicle independently on the country’s motorway network,” said Louise Collins, Director at Transport Focus.

“If we don’t tackle this swiftly then some disabled people could be left behind, unable to drive electric vehicles and potentially excluded from the road network altogether.

“The time to act is now and we need confidence that there is a plan that will genuinely deliver this. We are working with Government to explore the role regulation could play in a longer-term solution with mandatory standards and for chargepoint providers to deliver more immediate improvements.”

To find out more please visit https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/