A public consultation has been launched to draw up a standard ensuring the accessibility of electric vehicle charging points for groups including disabled and older people.
The British Standards Institute (BSI), which is recognised by the government as the UK’s national standards body, is aiming to draw up a set of requirements that will ensure the public charging network is accessible to all users. It said that “it is essential that charge points are inclusively designed for use by all customers”.
The consultation has been launched as the UK is planning a major expansion in charging infrastructure as the government aims to ban the sale of most non-zero emission cars and vans by 2030. The BSI wants to hear from firms involved in charge point design, manufacture and installation, as well as land owners, local authorities, transport planners, consumer groups and energy providers.
There are currently an estimates 14 million disabled people in the UK, and the BSI estimates there could be 2.7 million disabled drivers on the roads in 10 years time. The new standard will aim to ensure disabled and older people, and people with learning disabilities or neurodiverse conditions can access charging points.
The BSI will be supported by the Motability charity and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles. The standard will be named PAS 1899:2022: Electric vehicles – Accessible charging – Specification, and will cover the environment surrounding charging units (such as kerb height and surface type), the location and placement of such units relative to other street furniture, the design requirements of the unit such as heigh, cable management systems, lighting and colours, and the information on the units.
Nick Fleming, the BSI’s transport and mobility standards boss, said: “EV users have a wide range of needs and this PAS can help to improve user experience and ensure the public EV charging network is accessible for all.
“Improving the accessibility of EV charging networks will help to further drive the adoption of EVs, an important step in the decarbonization of the UK’s transport sector if we are to meet net zero targets by 2050.”
The BSI is aiming to publish the standard is due in summer 2022.
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