Fraser Crichton, corporate fleet manager at Dundee City Council, explores how Dundee, one of the UK’s leading electric vehicle cities, is prioritising equitable access for all amidst the EV revolution.

Councils should consider the needs of disabled drivers

It is crucial that we ensure the transition to electric vehicles includes disabled drivers and passengers.

By the time the looming 2035 deadline for the phasing out of new ICE cars arrives, it is predicted that the number of disabled drivers will have reached 2.7 million.

Research suggests that disabled people’s requirements are not yet sufficiently being met in the design and production of EVs.

Councils should also reflect on whether they are doing everything possible to consider the needs of disabled drivers within their fleets and charging infrastructures.

Exploring accessibility through innovation

These concerns played a central role in the development of our fourth charging hub in Clepington Road, which opened in April 2023. We wanted to seamlessly integrate accessibility into the EV infrastructure, creating a model that could be easily replicated.

Accessibility was considered at every stage of the hub’s design, from the size of the bays to colour-coding

Beginning in 2019, the hub was meticulously designed in a collaborative effort with Urban Foresight, disability charities, manufacturers, and – most importantly – disabled drivers themselves. Accessibility was considered at every stage of the hub’s design, from the size of the bays to colour-coding.

In addition to this, PAS 1899:2022 was integral to the design of the hub. Originally created by the British Standards Institution (BSI), co-sponsored by Motability the national disability charity and the UK Government’s Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV), PAS 1899:2022 sets out to build an inclusive EV charging infrastructure in the UK, providing specifications for the environment around fixed public charging points.

Using this advice, we implemented features including the specific bay size – 1,200mm hatching around each bay and a minimum of 1,100mm of between charge points and vehicles – and level access with all plinths and bollards removed.

Our solutions to improving accessibility

Our solutions to accommodate easier charging for drivers with limited mobility can be broken down into three main categories:

1. Easy access

All bays are a spacious size of 3.6m wide and 6m long, allowing ample space around the vehicle for wheelchair manoeuvrability. There are unobstructed pathways around the charge points and level access throughout the site. To ensure this, we removed any bollards around the charge points, flattened any pavements or kerbs and made sure chargers were not on raised plinths.

2. Ease of use
   Dundee implemented a number of colour-coding solutions for enhanced visibility and guidance. We used colour contrasting wheel stops in the bay to prevent vehicles from encroaching on the charge points and ensuring safe access routes. Charging cables were also colour-coded, to improve visibility. In addition to this, longer cables were installed to reach a wider variety of charge port locations.
3. Safety

We considered various safety factors. The colour-coded cables would mitigate trip hazards, as would the cable retention systems. These work by taking some of the weight of the cables, removing cables off the ground. We made sure that the hub was well sheltered to avoid slippery ground. The site is well-lit, and located in a central area with high levels of footfall, increasing levels of safety and confidence for vulnerable users.

A service station of the future

All bays are a spacious size of 3.6m wide and 6m long, allowing ample space around the vehicle for wheelchair manoeuvrability

Along with these adaptations, Clepington Road charging oasis offers five rapid 50kW chargers and a single 150kW ultra rapid charger, creating nine fully accessible charging bays to add to the city’s public charging provision.

The hub also prioritises sustainability. The incorporation of Bluewater’s ‘world-first’ rainwater harvesting technology enables EV drivers to take clean drinking water free of charge. This reduces the need for single-use plastics typically associated with petrol or service stations.

We partnered with industry leaders such as Swarco, Connected Energy and Envevo to implement solar canopies, second life battery storage units and numerous other innovations at the Clepington Road site. Read more here.

We are exceptionally proud of our achievements at the Clepington Road hub, which we believe goes further than any other UK hub to ensure full accessibility. It is our own attempt at setting a new accessibility standard, acting as a model for inclusive and sustainable EV infrastructure that can be replicated by councils across the UK and beyond.