The fifth wave of the Motability Scheme’s EV Transition Tracker (EVTT), conducted in partnership with More in Common, reveals that both disabled Motability Scheme customers (60%) and the wider public (59%) feel like they are being excluded from the UK’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs).
But the reasons people feel locked out are different. For the wider public, affordability dominates, with the upfront price of an EV the most cited reason for feeling excluded (52%).
Cost matters for disabled drivers too, with 26% citing the upfront price of an EV. But they also face practical barriers that can determine whether switching to electric is possible at all. More than a third (39%) cite being unable to charge at home, while 31% of Scheme customers with experience driving EVs identify either charging cable weight and ease of use, or difficulty reaching charge points because of bay width, as a key concern.
As the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars approaches, these accessibility issues could put disabled people’s freedom to get to work, education, and take part in everyday life at risk.
The accessibility gap on the motorway
These accessibility challenges are particularly pronounced on the UK’s motorway network. Motability Operations partnered with an independent surveyor to analyse charging bays across 95% of Britain’s motorway service stations.
The analysis uncovered that the widths of bays, raised kerbs, and obstructions mean that of the 1,166 charging bays assessed across the country, just 28.6% can be classified as ‘accessible’, with a total width of at least 360cm, according to requirements set by British Standards.
Michele Matonti, a disabled driver on the Motability Scheme based in Northwest London, said: “I’m on my second electric car lease and, for most of my day-to-day driving, having a home charger makes it easy. The challenge comes when I’m travelling further and need to use motorway charging. As an amputee, I need enough room to open the car door properly and get my leg out. Some charging sites have wider bays, but there aren’t enough and you can’t guarantee they’ll be available when you arrive.”
The regional divide
The analysis - conducted in November 2024 and now available in the Motability Go app – found that across Great Britain, there are 11 service stations with no accessible charging bays, representing approximately one in eight of the country’s service stations.
The shortage of accessible charge points is a challenge for motorway drivers across all regions. Only the East of England and the North West significantly outperform the national average, with 43% and 40% of their charging bays deemed accessible, respectively.
The worst performing region of the country is the North East of England, where just 16% of charging bays on motorways are accessible.
Andrew Miller, CEO at Motability Operations, said: "For disabled people, their vehicles are fundamental to their freedom - to work, see family and take part in their communities. If the infrastructure around electric vehicles isn’t designed with disabled people in mind, we risk losing this independence to a new set of barriers.
“The UK's transition is moving quickly, and the charging network is growing with it. But more chargers alone won’t solve the problem. Accessibility must be built into that growth, so disabled drivers have the same confidence and ability to travel as everyone else.”
ENDS
Accessible charging bays at motorway service stations, by region
|
Region |
Service stations |
Charging bays |
Accessible bays |
% accessible |
Stations with none |
|
East of England |
5 |
69 |
30 |
43% |
1 |
|
North West |
12 |
136 |
55 |
40% |
1 |
|
South West |
10 |
113 |
42 |
37% |
1 |
|
Scotland |
7 |
56 |
20 |
36% |
1 |
|
West Midlands |
12 |
161 |
50 |
31% |
3 |
|
Wales |
6 |
60 |
17 |
28% |
2 |
|
Yorkshire and The Humber |
9 |
138 |
32 |
23% |
1 |
|
East Midlands |
7 |
88 |
19 |
22% |
0 |
|
London |
2 |
49 |
10 |
20% |
0 |
|
South East |
16 |
264 |
53 |
20% |
1 |
|
North East |
2 |
32 |
5 |
16% |
0 |
|
Great Britain |
88 |
1,166 |
333 |
29% |
11 |
