UK Electric Vehicle Charger Rollout Faces Regional and Accessibility Challenges
While the UK is on track to meet its 2030 EV charger target, rural areas and disabled drivers risk being left behind due to uneven distribution and infrastructure barriers.
- The National Audit Office reports that 44% of public EV chargers are concentrated in London and the South East, with only 15% located in rural areas across England.
- The UK is on pace to meet its goal of installing 300,000 public EV chargers by 2030, with over 72,000 currently installed, but regional disparities persist.
- Barriers such as slow planning permissions and costly grid connections are hindering the rollout in underserved areas, particularly rural and northern regions.
- Disabled drivers face accessibility issues as many chargers are poorly designed, with features like high kerbs, heavy cables, and improperly placed instructions creating obstacles.
- The government is urged to prioritize equitable charger distribution and enforce accessibility standards to ensure all communities can transition to electric vehicles effectively.
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The Telegraph 
The Guardian 
The Independent 