Leeds man 'totally deflated' as council refuse electric vehicle charging point outside his home

Claudio Franco said he’d wanted to buy an electric vehicle for several years to help the fight against climate change. But he claimed the council won’t let him charge one outside his terraced home because of parking rules.

The council said it was working hard to install more charging points across the city, but that it was dangerous to do so outside many terraced properties. But in an address to the council’s climate emergency advisory committee, which holds the authority to account on its net zero pledge, Mr Franco called for a change to the regulations.

In a pre-recorded video played to the committee on Monday, Mr Franco said: “If I could have dedicated parking outside my house from 6pm to 8am, I could use a charger on the wall of my house with a cable going onto the pavement.

“I could then charge the car during the evening, but I was told that parking regulations do not allow for this. Alternatively, it would be great if the council could install on-street charging.

“Some three years ago I offered to pay half the cost of installing one if the council could allocate me dedicated parking opposite my house in the evening. But I was told again that parking regulations don’t allow this. Maybe the regulations need to change in order to facilitate houses like mine, without a garage, to adopt electric vehicles.”

Explaining that he didn’t have a driveway either, Dr Franco said he felt “very powerless at the moment”. He added: “I feel frustrated and totally deflated by this.”

Mr Franco claimed he was told by council officers that he didn’t need on-street charging, because plenty of charging points are already being installed in several public places across Morley.

He added: “That’s great that they’re doing this but it’s definitely not a solution to people like me, definitely not. I don’t feel comfortable leaving it to luck or chance to find a parking spot in the evening.”

Responding to Mr Franco later in the meeting, senior councillor Helen Hayden said having charging points outside some terraced housing caused a trip hazard.

Councillor Hayden, who is the authority’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “On electric vehicle charging, there’s a national strategy coming out, and I’ve been at a conference with the civil servant who’s working on that.

“Given the mess the government’s been in for the last few weeks, obviously it’s not come out yet. We’ll have a look at that, but Leeds is seen as actually quite far out in front in terms of electric vehicle charging.

“I live in a terraced house and it’s very difficult for people who live in properties like this. On-street charging will be extremely difficult, because our lampposts are set too far back from the road.”

Addressing Mr Franco’s suggestion that he could run a cable from his own house, Councillor Hayden added: “They’re still a trip hazard to people who are blind and it would be difficult for people who are in wheelchairs (to use the pavement).

“It’s very dangerous to have cables across the footpath and we are (as a council) encouraging people to walk more.”