Fears electric cars will RUIN Britain’s streets and ‘turn them into a total eyesore and minefield’
ELECTRIC cars will turn Britain’s streets into “minefields” and become a total nightmare, claimed charities.
With the number of EVs on the road increasing, some experts warn it could be create major health hazards for the public.
Those concerned include members of the blind community as the silent nature of electric cars, and bulky charging cables on the street could pose a risk for their guide dogs and themselves.
The National Federation of the Blind UK (NFBUK) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (Rospa) have urged the Government to consider new safety measures.
Sarah Leadbetter, from Narborough, Leicestershire, is registered blind, and claimed her assistance dog struggles with the change.
The 48-year-old explained her pooch will come to a dead stop and sit down in front of EV charging cables – which forces her to navigate the obstacle alone.
She told the Mail the increasing number of EVs on the road “worries” her “greatly”.
“This is going to stop me going out, trying to find different routes to the bus… or going to the shops,” she added.
The charities want to see the banning of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 delayed until more safety measures have been put in place.
Sarah Gayton of NFBUK, claimed: “It will turn pavements into a minefield – blind and visually impaired people can get their white cane tangled or trip over cables, with the potential for them to be seriously injured or even killed.”
Around 40 per cent of homes are not equipped for an EV charging port.
This could lead to more public charging points – and messier, cable filled streets, the charities suggested.
Another NFBUK spokesman for the charity said previously: “With the growth in electric vehicle ownership it is essential the infrastructure for charging them keeps up with the sales.
“Expecting people to charge them with cables coming from out their houses crossing pavements is absolutely ludicrous and is it unsafe.
“They can become trip hazards and the cables should not be allowed to cross the pavements.
“It is totally unsafe for homeowners to run cables from their houses to charge their cars.
“It’s imperative the charging for electric vehicles is undertaken on the road with no cables being present on any part of the pavement.”
Rebecca Guy, of Rospa, also claimed home charging points present their own troubles.
She advised local planning authorities to encourage EV drivers to charge at public ports instead of leaving “trailing cables from their home to their vehicle.”
A Department for Transport spokesman confirmed local authorities should take charge of managing the best “location and operation of charge points”.
They reiterated local authorities must take into consideration the needs of those with disabilities.
It will turn pavements into a minefield – blind and visually impaired people can get their white cane tangled or trip over cables, with the potential for them to be seriously injured or even killed.”
Sarah Gayton
This comes as thirty politicians backed The Sun’s Give Us A Brake Campaign – as it emerged Britain’s creaking power grid cannot cope with charging electric cars.
A motoring boss warned recently that the extra power required by 2030 will be 12 times what is being used by electric cars today — with drivers already turning up at forecourts to find shortages.
Our Give Us A Brake plan also calls for politicians to stop imposing pricey Ulez charging schemes and disruptive Low Traffic Neighbourhood zones.
And, it emerged that Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch fears new rules forcing manufacturers to make one in five cars electric from 2024 are too strict.
So far, 24 MPs and six peers have joined our demand to end the war on motorists and delay the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.
Across Europe and in major American states, the phase-out target is 2035.
France and Spain are giving people until 2040 to go electric.
Meanwhile, residents in a posh town said they have nowhere left to leave their motors and are losing out on thousands due to electric car parks.
Plus, one expert mechanic who said he would never buy an electric car – and claimed the benefits are a myth.