As the UK continues to see more and more electric vehicles on the roads, experts have warned of how failing to follow parking bay rules could leave you in some trouble.
There are more than 760,000 fully electric cars in the UK, and 42,000 EV parking zones across the nation, reports Bristol Live.
While these parking bays make it easier for drivers to get around the country, many motorists are unaware of the rules of EV parking zones, which can lead to large fines.
Mike Potter, CEO at DriveElectric, said: “All parking zones have rules that must be adhered to. In the same way a parent and child bay should only be used by a person with a young child, or a disabled parking bay only be used by someone with a blue badge, electric car parking bays are intended to be used only by vehicles powered by a battery for the purpose of recharging only.
“There has been an increase in stories of drivers being charged penalty fares for improper use of EV parking spaces. We have created a list of rules that must be obeyed to ensure you do not break EV parking rules, and also help you to avoid receiving a parking fine.”
Read on below to find out more.
Ensure your EV is actually charging
While many people may think you can park in an EV parking bay at any time, they can only be used while the car is charging.
Parking in a space and not plugging in your electric vehicle can result in a fine, even if the parking space is free.
Check if the parking space is free to park in at all times
With supermarkets offering free electric vehicle charging more and more recently, it may be tempting to visit a car park after work, or late at night while it is less busy.
However, motorists must be aware that some supermarkets only allow free parking if they visit the store and buy something.
If the store is shut when drivers visit the car park, they are not classed as a customer and therefore could be fined for parking illegally.
Charge up and move on
Some parking spaces are advertised as free, but will begin to charge drivers once their car has reached full charge. The charge starts at 50p per minute and rises to £1 when the charging station is 100 per cent occupied.
This is to avoid parking spaces being wasted by cars that do not need charging, so you should only occupy a charging spot if you are charging your car.
As soon as the charging session is completed, move your car as soon as possible and make way for a fellow plug-in driver.
Your charging session should be considered as ‘complete’ if your battery is full, or when you have enough range to comfortably reach your destination.
Don’t park in an EV charging station if you drive a petrol or diesel vehicle
While this may seem obvious, parking a non-electric vehicle in an electric parking zone can leave you liable for a penalty charge notice. This is the case for both council and supermarket-owned spaces.
Electric vehicles can still park in regular parking spaces when they aren’t charging.
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