In the rush to accommodate increasing numbers of electric cars, some cities are letting bulky charging stations take space from pedestrians

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Cities across the world are rushing to install charging points to encourage and keep up with demand from increasing numbers of electric vehicles. By the end of last year there were almost 600,000 street charging points globally.

But while some cities, such as Paris, are introducing charging points inconspicuously, many others are not. In some areas of London chargers have been taking over pavements and blocking pedestrians.



Reducing access on our already crowded pavements doesn’t help more people to make every day journeys by foot Rachel White, Sustrans

“With traffic and poor air quality affecting many people … we need fewer vehicles, not just cleaner vehicles,” says Rachel White, senior policy and political advisor at sustainable transport group Sustrans. “Making it harder to walk and reducing access on our already crowded pavements doesn’t help more people to make every day journeys by foot.”

Any reduction in pavement width make it harder for people with disabilities to move around, adds disability charity Transport For All.

In Britain, the government is offering incentives for charging points and many local authorities are embracing the technology.

Across London some charging points are taking space away from pedestrians and blocking the way for those with buggies, prams and wheelchairs.

Giulio Ferrini (@GiulioFerrini) Close to 1m of effective width lost in a very high footfall area pic.twitter.com/5a5aVGs53c

RossiBike (@RossiTheBossi) Why are electric vehicle charging points taking away from pedestrian space?



Just yards from City Hall too @willnorman! @CarolineRussell @Privatecarfree pic.twitter.com/h4NXTcSA85

In Barcelona, this large-scale petrol pump-style electric vehicle charger has been mounted on the pavement.

Laura Laker (@Lakerlikes) This is a whopper, on the pavement - EV charging point spotted via Google maps, on Carrer de Provença in Barcelona pic.twitter.com/wmjIlBpEy0

And in Norwich, one electric car user resorted to parking on the pavement when the charging point was blocked by a bus.



unnormal stu (@stuartfram) Emergency reserve @greateranglia coach blocking both #ev charging bays at Norwich. Had to resort the the emergency pavement to charge 😮 pic.twitter.com/406rLhIUvC

Other cities, such as Paris (left), are taking a more pedestrian-friendly approach.

Warren Hatter (@warrenhatter) Just back in London from Paris. Look at the striking difference in handling electric car charging stations. Paris: in the road; London: taking *even more* space away from people who walk (exacerbated by trip hazard when they're in use). pic.twitter.com/kYBSjRJjyN

Peter Solar (@PereSoriaAlcaza) Charging EVs between channels in Amsterdam. Bicycles and electric cars all together in silence traffic pic.twitter.com/mAFVj1UQuq

Although London is not doing it all wrong. These chargers in Islington have been neatly installed in lamp posts.

Islington Council (@IslingtonBC) This week we installed the borough's first lamp column electric vehicle charger in Balfe St, King's Cross - well on the way to our 100th on-street vehicle charging point! pic.twitter.com/QJCT9wayo1

In US cities, many charging points are in car parks rather than pavements.



Tesla New York (@TeslaNY) #Target teams up with #Tesla, ChargePoint and Electrify America to install charging stations at more than 100 stores 🎯🔋🔌 https://t.co/v1UmrESYxL $TGT $TSLA #EV #ElectricVehicle pic.twitter.com/4f1Rb5RnGb

And this solar-powered charging point near Segovia in Spain claims it can charge six electric vehicles in an hour.



aggregatte (@aggregatte) Entra en funcionamiento la primera electrolinera sostenible de España. Esta estación de recarga rápida solar es capaz de recargar seis vehículos eléctricos en una hora. https://t.co/Sdn37sYVbK vía @EcoInventos pic.twitter.com/gHmryGITjB

Sweden and China are taking a different approach and opening roads that charge electric vehicles as they travel, reducing the need for on-street charging units.

Meanwhile, some electric vehicle owners are resorting to dangling cables out of windows.

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