Recommendations & Conclusions
4 items
5
Recommendation
14th Report - Public charge points for …
Acknowledged
The interests of drivers with disabilities have been left behind in the rollout of public charge points. By 2035, 1.35 million drivers with disabilities are expected to be partially or wholly dependent on public charge points, but many charge points, or their surrounding environment, have features which make them inaccessible. …
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The interests of drivers with disabilities have been left behind in the rollout of public charge points. By 2035, 1.35 million drivers with disabilities are expected to be partially or wholly dependent on public charge points, but many charge points, or their surrounding environment, have features which make them inaccessible. The Department co–sponsored the creation of a standard for charge point accessibility. However, the Department has not mandated its use and the Motability Foundation report that two years 6 on from its launch, there are still no charge points in the UK which are fully compliant with the standard. Charge point operators and local authorities have reported that they need to better understand what compliance with the standard means in practice. In response, the Department put in place a review of the standard to identify practical issues with it, and to understand what actions may be needed to improve charge point accessibility. This could include working with other countries to align accessibility standards, which would help build international supply chains for components. Failure to address problems with uptake of the standard quickly will mean that the network will continue to develop without meeting the needs of drivers with disabilities. recommendation As part of its Treasury Minute Response, the Department should set out: a. The outcome of the review of the charge point accessibility standard and what actions it is taking to ensure that charge point accessibility is improved. b. What it is doing to encourage alignment of accessibility standards for charge points internationally.
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Government response AI summary
The government stated it is reviewing the PAS 1899:2022 accessibility standard with stakeholders and will confirm recommendations and proposed next steps 'in due course'. It will also continue to monitor international standards and drive efforts to harmonise in the future.
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HM Treasury
25
Conclusion
14th Report - Public charge points for …
Acknowledged
The Department expects that most people will charge their vehicles at home using private charge points, however, those reliant solely on public charging, such as those without access to off–street parking, pay significantly more to charge their vehicles. This is because the cost of public charging reflects aspects such as …
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The Department expects that most people will charge their vehicles at home using private charge points, however, those reliant solely on public charging, such as those without access to off–street parking, pay significantly more to charge their vehicles. This is because the cost of public charging reflects aspects such as the wholesale price of electricity, charge point operator margins, and the difference between the value added tax charged on electricity from private (5%) and public charge points (20%). This means drivers using public charge points can pay around two to three times more to charge their vehicle than someone charging at home, depending on the type of charge point used.45
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's conclusion, stating it has appointed OPSS to regulate the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, already monitors the cost of charging across various channels, and will continue to work with HM Treasury to understand cost variances and policy impacts on …
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HM Treasury
28
Conclusion
14th Report - Public charge points for …
Acknowledged
By 2035, 1.35 million drivers with disabilities are expected to be partially or wholly dependent on public charge points, but many charge points, or their surrounding environment, have features which make them inaccessible. These include features such as charge points being placed on kerbs or with obstructions which present difficulties …
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By 2035, 1.35 million drivers with disabilities are expected to be partially or wholly dependent on public charge points, but many charge points, or their surrounding environment, have features which make them inaccessible. These include features such as charge points being placed on kerbs or with obstructions which present difficulties for wheelchair users, and the weight of the cable or force required to attach the connector being too great. In 2022, the Department co–sponsored the creation of a standard with the Motability Foundation to set minimum standards for charge point accessibility, covering areas such as the physical aspects of their placement and surroundings, their design and specification, and the information and indicators provided.53
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the Committee's conclusion, acknowledging the need for an accessible chargepoint network, and highlights its ongoing work to review the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 1899:2022 standard for accessibility, with recommendations and next steps to be confirmed in due course.
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HM Treasury
31
Conclusion
14th Report - Public charge points for …
Acknowledged
Many disabled people are reliant on their cars as existing public transport does not adequately cater for their needs.58 Failure to address problems with the uptake of the standard will mean that the public charge point network will continue to develop without meeting the needs of drivers with disabilities.59 55 …
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Many disabled people are reliant on their cars as existing public transport does not adequately cater for their needs.58 Failure to address problems with the uptake of the standard will mean that the public charge point network will continue to develop without meeting the needs of drivers with disabilities.59 55 Qq 79, 87; C&AG’s Report para 3.13 56 Q 87 57 EVS0008, EVS0007 58 EVS0007 59 C&AG’s Report para 16 19
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees that the chargepoint network needs to work for all users and is currently reviewing the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 1899:2022 standard for accessibility, with recommendations and proposed next steps to be confirmed in due course. It will also continue to monitor international …
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HM Treasury