Charging hubs can be signposted from major A roads following the implementation of an “immediate” change to rules for the Strategic Road Network.
The Department for Transport called the update “pioneering”, and that the signs will “help EV drivers plug into the rapidly expanding charging network” by allowing “larger EV charging hubs to be signposted from major A-roads for the first time”.
Research commissioned by the DfT from Thinks Insight & Strategy and published in March this year assessed three different symbols that could be used to signpost charging hubs. These comprised a side-on view of a car and plug/cable; a head-on view of the same scenario; and a petrol-pump style icon with a lightening-flash symbol and plug/cable.
Each of these signs was presented in green, and black, to respondents, with the petrol pump icon found to be the least accurately interpreted, being easily confused with a conventional pump when seen in passing. Some respondents also said the lightening-flash symbol “can have associations with fascism”.
The survey polled 1,107 drivers, and while the results were not entirely conclusive, it was generally considered that a side-on view of a car with a plug/cable was the most easily recognisable as denoting EV charging, while the green version of this was said to stand out more from existing signs than the black one.
While a totally different standardised symbol for EV hubs could be chosen, chargepoint firms universally welcomed the legislative changes.
Instavolt’s chief executive, Delvin Lane, said his firm was ”pleased that the government has taken the crucial step of delivering official EV charging signage on the strategic road network”, while Osprey’s boss, Ian Johnston, said his company has “tirelessly highlighted the benefit that clear EV road signage would bring to drivers looking to make the switch”. Vicky Read, chief executive of ChargeUK, described as ‘the voice of the UK’s EV charging industry’, called the rule changes “positive action”.
The news was included in a recent announcement that an extra £63m was being set aside to encourage EV uptake, while a subsequent £650m was announced to give retail buyers discounts of up to £3,750 per new EV.
