Chiswick Street Unanimously Rejects EV Chargepoint Bays

Residents of Pleydell Avenue unhappy with restrictions on parking

Signs on Pleydell Avenue notifying residents of new bays

April 29, 2024

Residents of a street in Chiswick, unhappy with new parking restrictions due to EV charging bays, have sent a petition to Hounslow Council in protest.

According to the petition's sponsor, all 30 households on Pleydell Avenue in the Stamford Brook area, have signed the letter.

It states that the overwhelming majority of residents object to the new bays which have been placed next to lampposts with charging points of which there are four on Pleydell Avenue. Residents say that, due to the length of the bays the equivalent of up to eight parking spaces have been lost. It is part of a programme which will see 195 such bays in the Chiswick area in the short term with over 400 installed eventually.

The residents claim there has been an absence of consultation and that input should have been sought beforehand because householders are paying for resident parking. The council is implementing the scheme on a trial basis which means that feedback will be collected during operation before a decision is taken to make the bays permanent.

The letter says that the restricted bays, which can now only be used by EV owners when charging their vehicles, cause unfairness for other residents who don't own this type of car. It argues that parking space is already short on the road. It is stated that only two residents have EVs.

Residents of Pleydell Avenue feel they have been singled out and want an explanation of plans for charging points in the surrounding areas of Vaughan Avenue, Prebend Gardens, Southside, and Stamford Brook Avenue. These streets encircle Pleydell Avenue and the letter claims they offer ample alternative spaces for installing charging bays. Currently, there are no charging points in these road, meaning residents with EVs will likely rely on the bays on Pleydell Avenue.

There is an additional issue with some remaining parking spaces on Pleydell Avenue due to aphid infestations in lime trees meaning anyone parking beneath one will return to find their car covered with sticky deposits. The letter says that neighbouring streets do not suffer from this problem.

There is also concern about continuing ambiguity in the way parking in the bays will be enforced. The notification residents received about the new bays implied that parking is only allowed when actively charging. This would seem to suggest that overnight parking is not allowed limiting space when it is most needed. There is concern that the bays may become a preferred nighttime charging location for drivers from ride-sharing services causing disturbance when residents are trying to sleep.

One of the new EV bays in Pleydell Avenue

There is also unhappiness about the way work was carried out to install the bays with parking prohibited within 10 metres of each side of the chargepoints for nearly two weeks but no work took place. These signs were updated indicating another week of restrictions.

Parking was prohibited in long sections of the street during installation

The letter concludes "In the long term, residents should play an active role in the planning of EV charging infrastructure to ensure consensus and promote the adoption of EVs. Alongside public chargers, residents should have the opportunity to establish and utilize their own charging points. This option is significantly more cost-effective, typically half the price of public chargers, and enables the use of electricity from solar panels, offering both the most economical and environmentally friendly solution.

"We propose an alternative solution that would address the need for EV charging infrastructure without inconveniencing residents. There is ample space at each end of our street where electric charging posts could be installed without obstructing parking for residents. This arrangement would allow residents with EVs to charge their vehicles while freeing up parking spaces in front of their houses for other residents.

Additionally, we believe that post chargers would be a more efficient and faster alternative to lamppost chargers, further enhancing the convenience of EV charging for residents."

A Hounslow Council spokesperson said “The Council would like to thank the residents of Pleydell Avenue for their petition, which we have received. We will review this and hope to respond to them within a fortnight.”