Electric Drives : 26th March 2024
Growing demand for accessible charging infrastructure prompts government action calls.
Advocacy groups and politicians emphasise the need for mandated accessibility at public charging stations.
Urgency lies in accommodating all potential drivers and ensuring equitable access to EV charging.
A group of UK emobility leaders has gathered over an urgent plea for accessible charging infrastructure
Demands for accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure are gaining traction. Baroness Jenny Randerson has joined the ranks of advocacy groups like ChargeSafe, Motability Foundation, and RECHARGE UK. They amplify the urgency for accessible charging provisions at all public EV charging stations.
This rallying cry for accessibility found resonance at a recent meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Electric Vehicles. Discussions at the gathering emphasised the imperative of inclusive experiences for individuals with accessibility requirements. Representatives from Motability Foundation, Motability Operations, and ChargeSafe underscored the need for mandating BSI PAS 1899:2022. This standard delineates essential specifications for accessible public charge points.
However, the current voluntary status of British Standards, including PAS 1899, leaves charge point providers bereft of legal obligations. Consequently, RECHARGE UK is pressing for the immediate mandate of accessibility requirements. They aim to ensure equitable access, particularly for wheelchair users.
Baroness Randerson, who has submitted written questions to the Lords on accessibility, said:
“We live in an ageing society and around one in five adults have a disability. It’s essential that charging point infrastructure is provided with all drivers in mind. The UK cannot transition to EVs unless we can all use them. The industry needs to see the bigger picture – everyone is a potential customer.
It surprises me how little thought has been given to making EV charging as easy as possible. It costs as much to install a charger in an unsuitable location as it does to make it properly accessible. I am not just talking about wheelchair users but also about the weight of the equipment, for instance. Putting EV chargers at the far corner of a large car park deters women from using the equipment after dark.
We urgently need a government led strategic plan with incentives to encourage good practice and to ensure that EV charging “deserts” get sufficient investment to encourage people to buy EVs wherever they live. It’s a chicken and egg thing.
I would back mandating PAS 1899:2022, because the current guidance is ineffective. Once we have lots of examples of good practice it will be easier for others to understand and copy it.”
Catherine Marris, Head of Innovation at the Motability Foundation, said:
“I’m very grateful to the APPG on EVs for inviting me to present on the work we are doing to ensure public charging is accessible to all. We estimate there will be 2.7 million disabled drivers in the UK by 2035, and up to half will be at least partially reliant on public charge points. Therefore, it’s vitally important that public charging is accessible, otherwise there is a real risk that disabled people are left behind by the transition to EV.
The PAS 1899 standard that we co-sponsored provides a clear specification on how to make charge points accessible, and the industry response to it has been encouraging so far. However, with infrastructure being delivered at great pace we believe that the standard should be mandated with a phased approach to ensure public charge points are accessible to all.”
Kate Tyrrell, CEO & Co-Founder of ChargeSafe, added:
“It is critical that we recognise the reality of challenges presented when it comes to the delivery of safe and accessible charging infrastructure. To ignore inclusive design now will present unnecessary challenges to millions of people in the future who will come to depend on public chargers. In our experience, developers continue to ignore their obligation to produce accessible charging conditions.
Whilst the BSI PAS 1899 sets out clear guidelines to achieve accessible standards, the implication that it is an advisory does not go far enough, which is why mandatory standards must now be introduced and ensure nobody is left behind in the transition to electric transport. In the interests of ongoing sustainable development, delivering accessible infrastructure today will ultimately benefit us all."
Matthew Adams, Transport Policy Manager for the REA, said:
“Now is the opportunity to safeguard the disabled, elderly and vulnerable and ensure our charging sites are accessible for all and safe to use. This is a once in several generations’ opportunity and at the moment we are wasting it. Petrol forecourts have never been accessible, but charging sites, particularly as most are unmanned, need to be.
Mandating accessibility requirements through a phased approach could transform charging sites up and down the country at a speed that is manageable for all concerned and would give increasingly greater accessibility to wheelchair users across the country as more of them begin to adopt EVs.
As the secretariat for the EV APPG, it is our pleasure and privilege to continue to provide educational sessions to politicians to ensure they are aware of a number of important issues from across the EV sector.”
The collective call for action seeks to overhaul EV charging infrastructure nationwide. The BSI PAS 1899 makes charging accessible to all and guarantees that no one is left behind in the shift to emobility. The calls to the UK government keep coming regarding emobility. All that remains to be seen is whether will finally listen.
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