Three quarters of councils lack accessible on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging provision for disabled drivers.

Figures from Vauxhall have revealed that while the number of councils that offer accessible charging has doubled in the last year (49 of the 194 respondent councils), 75% of local authorities still fail to do so.

The Freedom of Information requests found that these three-quarters ‘do not provide any chargers that are specifically adapted for disabled drivers or conform to recognised accessibility standards’.

Vauxhall has also confirmed that geographical inequalities exist across EV charging provision – with only 43 accessible on-street chargers being available in the Northwest and 14 in Scotland, while London has 2,131.

Highlighting the areas of progress, Vauxhall has identified that the number of on-street EV chargers in disabled parking bays has increased by over 50% since 2024. Furthermore, the research found that roughly 15% of on-street chargers have been adapted specifically for disabled drivers, and 14% are consistent with PAS 1899:2022 accessibility guidance.

Eurig Druce, Managing Director, Vauxhall & Group Managing Director, Stellantis UK, said: ‘It’s encouraging to see more councils recognising the importance of accessible on-street charging’, but emphasised ‘how much further there is to go’.

He added: ‘As more people switch to electric vehicles, accessibility must be built into public charging from the start, not treated as an afterthought. Through Electric Streets of Britain, Vauxhall is helping drivers register where on-street charging is needed, including where disabled drivers require accessible solutions.

‘If the UK is to bring everyone on the electrification journey, accessible charging needs to become the standard, so going electric is a practical and viable option for all drivers.’

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: ‘Transport should be accessible and inclusive for everyone, which is why we worked closely with industry and disability groups to develop the world’s first accessibility design standards for EV charging infrastructure.

‘We strongly encourage local authorities and operators to adopt these standards, and we’re now working with stakeholders to review their implementation and explore ways to drive wider uptake.’