New research by Vauxhall has uncovered major shortcomings in the UK’s provision of accessible EV chargers.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request received 194 responses from councils across the UK, with only 49 saying they provided accessible electric vehicle chargers for on-street parking.
This means the number of local authorities providing accessible EV charging has more than doubled, from the 24 councils who said the same in 2024.
However, some three quarters still stated that they do not provide any electric vehicle chargers adapted for drivers with disabilities, or built to conform to recognised accessibility standards.
Slow progress on accessible charging
Vauxhall says progress is being made in terms of the provision of accessible chargers for on-street parking.
In particular, the number of on-street EV chargers in disabled parking bays has more than doubled since 2024. There are now 245 accessible chargers in disabled bays across Britain, up from 105 previously.
An estimated 15 percent of all on-street electric vehicle chargers are now believed to be accessible for disabled drivers. Specifically, 14 percent conform to the British Standards Institution’s PAS 1899:2022 accessible charging standard.
Vauxhall’s FOI research uncovered discrepancies in provision across the UK, even though more than half of local authorities said their EV charging strategies considered disabled and older residents.
Vauxhall found just 43 accessible on-street chargers in the North West region of England, while Scotland offers only 14 chargers in total. By comparison, there are 2,131 devices in London alone.
More work to be done
Eurig Druce, managing director of Vauxhall and Stellantis UK, said: “It’s encouraging to see the number of councils providing accessible on-street charging nearly double in the last year. This shows growing recognition of the importance of ensuring disabled drivers can access public charging infrastructure.
“However, our latest research shows there is still more work to do. Three quarters of councils still do not provide chargers that are specifically adapted for disabled drivers or conform to recognised accessibility standards.
“Through Electric Streets of Britain, Vauxhall is continuing to encourage drivers to register their need for on-street charging near them, and for disabled drivers to highlight where accessible charging is required.
“As the number of on-street chargers continues to grow, we want to see accessibility considered as standard, so that going electric remains a practical and viable option for all drivers.”
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