Under the UK Equality Act 2010, it is illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities. Then why do so many companies and organizations involved in installing new EV infrastructure seem unaware of this responsibility?
Whether you are looking at the facilities of national retail networks, retailers, car park providers, or local government agencies, the picture is the same. When installing the charging infrastructure, the needs of people with disabilities were systematically not taken into account, and there is no government regulation to back them up to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are met.
We have spoken to a number of charities and mobility organizations, all of which paint a grim picture of the current state of the electric vehicle sector from an accessibility perspective and indicate that urgent action is needed to prevent the 14 million people with disabilities in the UK from doing this.
To get a feel for the subject, we accompanied the Disabled Motoring UK charity on a review of Brighton and Hove City Council public charging stations. The audit team highlighted a variety of challenges faced by disabled drivers using Brighton’s (government-funded) chargers, from undercrowded bays to wheelchair unloading, narrow sidewalks, and missing curbs that made it difficult to get close by to get to the loading facility, even if unloading was possible.
The chargers themselves were often too large so that screens couldn’t be seen clearly when seated, while charging sockets and cables were usually high and difficult to pull out. Aside from the general problems of CHAdeMO and CCS sockets and sockets installed in electric cars that are difficult to manipulate, especially when attached to heavy and unwieldy cables, and before the team deals with the issues of adequate lighting , audiovisual support or signage.
Brighton, along with a number of other local authorities, is beginning to realize its commitment to accessibility. Paul Richardson, who leads the city’s EV charging projects and invited Disabled Motoring UK auditors to review his installations, says future calls for tenders will include an accessibility description that suppliers and installers must comply with.
The British Standards Institute (BSI) standards for charging station accessibility are in progress, albeit in a year from now, and even if they do, there is no legal framework to ensure that BSI-approved barrier-free chargers are available in the required number to be installed.
“We are looking for opinions in the context of the Future of Transport Regulatory Review to seize the authority to prescribe accessibility standards at public charging stations in the UK,” the Department of Transport informed us. The industry is now racing with thousands of new chargers every year.
The prospect of placing access to the UK’s burgeoning public charging network in the hands of commercial organizations is a serious concern for Disability Rights UK.
“The installation of charging stations for electric vehicles is a service and as such is covered by the Equal Opportunities Act, which requires service providers to anticipate the needs of disabled customers,” said Fazilet Hadi, policy director for the charity.
“Charging points should be accessible for wheelchair users, people with walking disabilities and people with sensory disabilities. Anyone who puts charging points into operation without observing their obligations under the Equal Opportunities Act is violating the law. The government urgently needs to take action to prevent thousands of inaccessible charging points from being installed. The neglect of the needs of disabled drivers is absolutely shocking. It turns back the clock. “
Helen Dolphin MBE is a member of the Advisory Committee on Transport with Disabilities, the legal body that advises the government on the transportation needs of disabled drivers. She says steps are being taken to improve accessibility, but progress is painfully slow.
“I have been raising the issue of accessible charging infrastructure for electric vehicles with ministers for years,” she said. “Things move very slowly, they are baby steps. You get used to it.”
Disabled Motoring UK CEO Graham Footer simply says that disaster is waiting for them. “The law makes it very clear that it is illegal to discriminate in the provision of goods and services and there are many changes that need to be taken into account now,” he said. “Otherwise it will cost a lot of money in the future to fix things because if disabled drivers start challenging the legality of many of these installations in court, they will undoubtedly win.”
What we want
- Urgent provision of accessible charging stations for electric vehicles.
- Government Ordinance on Minimum Numbers.
- Companies must comply with the obligation of the Equality Act 2010.
- More people are talking about the accessibility of electric vehicles.
What we found
Graham Footer, CEO Disabled Motoring UK
“If disabled people start taking charger providers to court, they will surely win.”
Alan Norton, Disabled Sports UK
“I am disappointed that so little has been done. Everyone has to go back to the drawing board, and we now need state regulation. “
Chris Girling, Disabled Sports UK
“The amount we have to do worries me. At the moment these things are not even suitable for non-disabled drivers. “
Paul Richardson, Brighton and Hove Council
“We hope that our new standards will make up for the lack of government regulations on charging electric vehicles.”
Reaction: What the charging network says
We asked five leading providers how many – if any – parking spaces are “Blue Badge accessible” in their retail networks. Most were unable to provide the information requested but agreed that more needs to be done.
BP pulse
“We are working with DfT, Motability and others to identify current challenges, and with BSI on standards for the accessibility of charging points. We have a number of accessible bays on our network, including at least one accessible bay wherever we deploy ultra-fast chargers on BP forecourts (40 locations and growing) and we have an accessibility team in place to focus on these issues. “
Instavolt
- 600 chargers, plus plans for 5,000 by 2024/5
“We know that as an industry we have to do more to cater to less skilled drivers. I often speak directly to customers about these topics and we work with Motability to understand the challenges drivers who need accessible spaces face when charging their car. We know that more needs to be done to make electric vehicles as user-friendly and inclusive as possible. “(Adrian Keen, CEO)
Pod point
5,200+ chargers
“We don’t have any data on how many of our charging stations serve accessible bays. Pod Point is currently establishing a best practice process for providing an accessible charging infrastructure and is working with its charging point hosts (who own the chargers) and partners. The process will include the provision of a certain proportion of charging points that are specially accessible for disabled users. “
Osprey
- 450 chargers plus plans for 2,000 chargers by 2024
“The majority of the charging points that Osprey has installed are in existing parking lots owned and operated by retail or community rental companies. Clear legislation is needed on what minimum standards should be met for new charging stations for electric vehicles, so that municipalities and private retail landlords understand that they must release the required number of charging stations and space when they introduce their electric car charging system. “
Tesla
Refused our invitation to comment.
View of mobility
Providing disabled drivers with 222,000 cars annually over a three-year replacement cycle, Motability says that while six percent of customers are already opting for new electric vehicles, the lack of accessibility to charge many puts many off.
“Our research has shown that by 2035, up to 1.35 million people with disabilities will be wholly or partially dependent on public charging infrastructure that is not tailored to their needs,” said Catherine Marris, Head of Innovation at Motability.
“As the sales ban on new gasoline and diesel cars approaches in 2030, it is imperative that disabled people do not lag behind in the race to install UK charging infrastructure. Working on secure accessibility standards is critical as the rapidly growing market for charging stations means that many operators can stick to designs and infrastructure for many years without considering accessibility for disabled users. “
Click here to find out more about the UK’s electric car charging network …
