Charging hub signs may be blocked by government guidelines

Chargepoint operators could be blocked from signposting major charging hubs due to rules around food and parking provision.

Under proposed Department for Transport (DfT) guidelines, none of the UK’s largest ultra-rapid charging hubs along A-roads and motorways would be eligible for roadside signage, according to the Times.

The newspaper said it had seen proposed new rules for charger signage published earlier this month. According to its report, in order to qualify for roadside signposts, any charging hub with 12 or more ultra-rapid devices (150kW+) would need to provide “hot drinks and cooked hot food for consumption on the premises”, as well as free parking for two hours and at least 10 spaces for “non-charging users”.

That would exclude hubs next to fast food outlets, where many chargers are located, as the hub itself wouldn’t provide hot food for consumption on the premises.

Charger visibility is seen as key in giving drivers confidence to switch to electric vehicles. Industry figures slammed the proposed rules as hampering this visibility and obstructing progress.

Tom Hurst, UK country manager for Fastned said that a lack of signage was leaving drivers “flying blind” and the current proposals were too rigid to be workable. He told the Times: “They exclude the vast majority of high-quality charging sites – including those next to well-known food outlets and amenities. Signage should reflect real-world usage, not red tape.”

Many of the UK’s biggest charging hubs are in close proximity to motorway service stations, retail outlets or fast food restaurants, where drivers can already easily access hot food and drink.

Ginny Buckley, chief executive of advice site Electrifying called the proposals “ridiculous” and said they showed how out of touch the government was with how EV owners drive their cars.

She commented: “I don’t know a single EV driver who plans their route around whether a charging hub offers hot food and two hours of free parking — they plan around charging speed, location and cost.”

The DfT said it was in dialogue with the charging industry to develop and refine the proposed guidelines. It told the Times: “These new proposals set clear, consistent expectations to allow larger current and future EV-only charging hubs to be signposted from major A-roads for the first time.”

Charging hubs are an increasingly large part of the UK’s charging landscape. New figures from Zapmap show there are more than 670 locations with at least six ultra-rapid devices. Larger hubs with 12 or more chargers are also increasingly common as the industry responds to ever-increasing EV ownership and driver demand for plentiful fast charging options.