Groups featuring the former Paralympian have raised alarms that drivers with disabilities could be left out from the transition to EVs due to inaccessible charging points.
Expanding Network However Barriers Remain
The number of electric vehicle charging points in Britain is growing quickly, with some 17,400 set up in the year to July. Yet, the absence of regulations means those with disabilities sometimes cannot be sure they will be able to access them.
Typical challenges include elevated curbs, gravelled areas, screens mounted too tall, or cables that are too heavy.
Policy Moves
Recently, the Lords approved a change to the national infrastructure legislation that would enable officials to enforce accessibility standards on public charging points.
Tanni Grey-Thompson, who won 11 gold medals across five Paralympic Games, is now a non-aligned lord in the Lords. She regularly highlights failures in accessible transport, such as a past event where she was had to crawl from a train due to no available help.
"Those with access needs have been left out of the picture," she stated. "I've sought to transition to an EV more than once. It has been really hard going."
Industry and Advocacy Voices
The chief executive of EVA England, noted, "We're currently risking a huge number of users being locked out from the EV shift. Almost 50% of EV owners are struggling with accessibility of public charging."
She called for the ministers to issue new inclusive design rules and to adopt regulatory measures to make the rules compulsory.
Studies funded by the charitable foundation shows the United Kingdom has around 1.35 million disabled drivers, including 390,000 without access to home charging options.
Guidelines and What's Ahead
At present, only 2.3% of charging points meet the criteria established by the British Standards Institution. Work to ensure its accessibility standard PAS 1899 easier to meet have slowed down.
Jamie Borwick, who proposed the change, cautioned that installing unsuitable chargers now would create long-term issues and restrict options for accessible users when non-electric vehicles are no longer sold post-2035.
"We will end up with a whole mass of charging points that aren't accessible," he said. "We must design for inclusive use from the start."
The chief executive of the Motability Foundation asserted that charging standards should be made mandatory. "It is vital that all public charging operators assume responsibility for guaranteeing that their facilities is easy to use."
A lobby group leader stated, "No drivers should be overlooked in the move to electric cars, and this includes those with disabilities."
Government Response
A transport department spokesperson stated, "We are dedicated to guaranteeing drivers with disabilities can easily charge their EVs, which is why we requested a study into EV charger access guidelines."
"The analysis is complete, and its conclusions will be published shortly. We continue to work with industry on how we can enhance EV station use for those with disabilities."
