Campaigners such as Lady Grey-Thompson have issued warnings that those with mobility challenges may be excluded from the shift to electric vehicles due to inaccessible charging points.
The number of electric vehicle charging points in Britain is growing quickly, with some 17,400 set up in the twelve months ending in July. However, the absence of regulations means those with disabilities often cannot trust they will be able to operate them.
Typical challenges include high pavements, gravel surfaces, touchscreens positioned too high, or charging cords that are weighty.
Just this week, the House of Lords approved a change to the government’s planning and infrastructure bill that would grant authority to impose inclusive design rules on electric vehicle stations.
Lady Grey-Thompson, who secured 11 Paralympic golds across five Paralympic Games, is now a non-aligned lord in the upper house. She often draws attention to shortcomings in transport access, such as a past event where she was had to crawl from a train due to lack of assistance.
"Individuals with disabilities have been completely forgotten about," she stated. "I've tried to change to an electric car on several occasions. It has been very challenging."
Vicky Edmonds, noted, "We now face the risk millions of drivers missing out from the EV shift. Close to half of electric car users have problems with accessibility of public charging."
She urged the authorities to release updated access guidelines and to adopt regulatory measures to make the rules compulsory.
Studies funded by the Motability Foundation reveals the Britain has as many as 1.35 million motorists with disabilities, with 390,000 probably lacking home charging options.
At present, a mere 2.3% of chargers fulfill the requirements set by the British Standards Institution. Work to ensure its standard, known as PAS 1899 easier to meet have slowed down.
Jamie Borwick, who tabled the amendment, warned that deploying inaccessible points today would have effects for years and limit choices for those with disabilities when new petrol and diesel vehicles are no longer sold after 2035.
"We're going to have a significant quantity of EV stations without proper access," he commented. "We must design for inclusive use from the outset."
A foundation leader asserted that accessibility requirements should be be enforced. "It is crucial that all public charging operators bear the duty for ensuring that their infrastructure is accessible."
Vicky Read stated, "Not a single user should be left behind in the move to electric cars, and this encompasses drivers with accessibility needs."
A Department for Transport representative said, "We are determined to making sure disabled drivers can conveniently recharge their EVs, which is why we requested a study into inclusive design for charging stations."
"The analysis is complete, and its results will be made public in the near future. We continue to work with the sector on how we can improve charger availability for disabled drivers."
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