As an ever-increasing number of local authorities are looking at installing public EV charging points, campaigners have pointed out the potential safety issues associated with them, particularly for lone female drivers.
Poorly lit and secluded charging spots can put female drivers at risk as they have to wait in dark and out-of-the-way locations for as long as 30 minutes. These concerns have prompted campaigners to urge concerns to take a safety-first approach when installing new EV charging points.
Safety Features to be Pushed as Local Councils Implement EV Charging Infrastructure
With many public EV charge points located at the back of dimly-lit car parks, hundreds of female EV drivers have voiced their concerns when charging their vehicles at night.
These concerns have led campaigners, including Electrifying.com’s founder Ginny Buckley, to draw up a safety plan for charging points, making them more accessible to lone women looking to charge their vehicles after dark.
These proposed safety features include:
- Improved lighting for charge points on quiet streets or remote locations.
- CCTV fitted to non-residential charge point locations.
- Improved (and lit) signage to help drivers find charging points.
- Improved turnaround times for fixing broken chargers.
- Rain covers for shelter during charging.
Government Launches Public Consultation Concerning Reliability and Safety of Charging Points
This campaign to improve safety at EV charge points comes after the government launched a public consultation regarding the reliability and safety of public charging points.
At the consultation launch, Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said the government was “absolutely committed” to ensuring people are safe and feel safe when charging their electric cars. The consultation is set to last several months before concluding this summer, with the findings to be published shortly thereafter.
With on-street charging progressing at a much slower rate than other government-backed schemes, these calls for improved safety measures at charging points afford councils the opportunity to implement them at the point of installation, rather than expensively retrofitting them.
Contact Applegarth Today Regarding Your Public EV Charge Point Installation
If you’re a council or local authority currently evaluating the installation of public EV charge points, then Applegarth is here to help. As the North West’s leading installer of public charge points, we have already helped dozens of public bodies get their charging infrastructure off the ground.
Better still, we can (and already have) installed many of the safety features mentioned above at both private and public charging locations due to our expertise across various electrical engineering disciplines.
Thus, not only can you benefit from state-of-the-art charging points, but you can source everything you need for your installation from one contractor, stretching your infrastructure budget further.
Our team is here to help you through every stage of the process, from assessing initial feasibility to installing safety features. So why not give us a call on 0151 649 8350 or email us at info@applegarth.co.uk to learn more about how we can help you deliver effective EV charging solutions to your constituents?
