A new study reveals that three-quarters of UK councils still do not offer accessible electric vehicle chargers, despite a slight increase in their availability.
Vauxhall conducted a Freedom of Information request, receiving 194 responses from local authorities across the country. Only 49 councils confirmed that they provide accessible chargers for on-street parking, a figure that has more than doubled since the same survey was conducted in 2024. However, this progress has not been uniform, with the organization noting that the rollout of accessible infrastructure remains slow.
Officials report that the number of chargers in disabled parking bays has more than doubled since 2024, rising from 105 to 245 devices across Britain. As a result, an estimated 15 percent of all on-street chargers are now believed to be accessible. Specifically, 14 percent conform to the British Standards Institution’s PAS 1899:2022 accessibility standard.
Despite these numbers, the research highlights significant geographical disparities. London leads the region with 2,131 accessible devices, while the North West of England has only 43. Scotland offers just 14 chargers in total. The data also suggests that although more than half of local authorities claim their charging strategies consider the needs of disabled and older residents, the physical infrastructure has not caught up with these stated goals.
Infrastructure gaps remain
Eurig Druce, managing director of Vauxhall and Stellantis UK, acknowledged the growth but emphasized the remaining gaps in the network. “It’s encouraging to see the number of councils providing accessible on-street charging nearly double in the last year,” he said. “This shows growing recognition of the importance of ensuring disabled drivers can access public charging infrastructure.”
However, the executive noted that the research proves there is still a long way to go. “Three quarters of councils still do not provide chargers that are specifically adapted for disabled drivers or conform to recognised accessibility standards,” Druce added.
For many residents in these areas, the lack of physical equipment creates a practical barrier to switching to electric vehicles. Without the presence of a compatible port in a driveway or nearby street, the transition to zero-emission motoring becomes significantly harder for those with mobility impairments, regardless of the availability of suitable cars.
Vauxhall is continuing to encourage drivers to register their need for on-street charging through its Electric Streets of Britain campaign. The company is also calling for accessibility to be treated as a standard requirement as the number of chargers grows, aiming to ensure that going electric remains a viable option for all drivers. Some experts worry that the current pace of deployment will struggle to meet 2030 mandates without urgent intervention.