Picture of electric car wire across pavement sparks fierce charging point debate

16 May 2023 , 23:02

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An electric car wire has sparked a debate over public spaces (stock image) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Road users have been left divided after a photo emerged online showing an electric car wire stretched across a pavement.

The picture, which was posted on Twitter this week, shows the cable snaking between a house and the charging point of a vehicle.

A cover mat is placed on top of the wire as a safety measure.

Expressing their displeasure with the way the owner had positioned it, the user wrote: "I’m not sure why we allow this in Wandsworth - it’s not what we want pavements to be used for.

"It’s the public space being dominated for personal use."

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A Twitter user described the positioning of the cable (pictured) as 'public space being dominated for personal use' (@JoRigby_Balham/Twitter)

She also suggested the owner would be better off using a dedicated charging point, reports Wales Online.

The post has since attracted hundreds of likes and comments, as users debate whether the car owner was actually in the right.

Some described the move as a trip hazard, while others claimed it was better than them using petrol.

If you can't see the poll, click

One Twitter user wrote: "Don’t think I agree… (1) electric is a step forward even if it doesn’t solve all problems - until better charging solutions are built, this is better than diesel and (2) when I park my bike on the pavement, I’m using public space for my personal use."

Another person described it as "one of the better ones I've seen", and said that the increased uptake of electric vehicles will require a "proper council-led solution."

Local council guidance regarding car charging on the pavement warns that owners may be liable for any injuries caused (stock image) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

This was echoed by another user who pointed out that they had "put out a covering", adding that pavements now often had "more trip hazards than a few cables."

Trying to see both sides, one commenter said: "For the short term it’s useful to encourage electric car ownership which has benefits for lungs. But it is a trip hazard so not a good long term solution."

One local woman meanwhile spoke of her own direct experience with the cable, as she wrote: "This is also in my street...I did trip on it to begin with, and I have good eyesight and walking gait. Now I make sure to look out for it."

Someone replied: "It’s something the council needs to get ahead of and start investing in more electric charge points on the street. I saw a lamppost...have a charge point integrated into it. Thought that was a clever idea to stop cables across the street."

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Benedict Tetzlaff-Deas