A Sydney couple forced to lay a cable across the footpath to charge their electric vehicle (EV) has been told they face a $330 fine if they do it again.
John Slaytor and Chantal Decaluwe thought they were doing the right thing for the environment when they purchased their Tesla.
But the couple said their efforts to go green have now come back to bite them after they received a warning letter from the North Sydney Council saying “the placement of charging cables in public spaces pose significant risks to public safety.”
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“It’s saying [in] a nutshell that placing an electrical cable is a breach,” Decaluwe said.
However the couple said there was no off-street parking and other options were difficult or costly.
“If I am able to charge the car during the day it’s free because I can use my solar panels,” Slaytor said.
“If I charge it at night it’s costing me under $5 to charge
“If I go to a commercial installation it can cost me $60.”
So they were forced to run a charging system cable from their house to their car which is parked on the council owned street.
“Late at night we were laying the cable across the footpath for about a metre,” Slaytor said.
“This is a dead end street, no one is here late at night.”
The couple even tried to make their charging system safer by covering the cable with a trip hazard protector.
But the council doesn’t agree that it’s safe.
“I do not understand how we can cause a risk to pedestrians when the cables are covered and it is an approved safety device,” Decaluwe said.
“We are going to have to rely on the charging in the area which are not easy find.
“There is not that many.”
Slaytor is now calling for a permit system for people who can prove their charging set up is safe.
“We are in a climate emergency. Everything we can do to make it easier to own electric vehicles should be considered,” Slaytor said.
The lack of support for EV owners has put off the couple’s neighbour Ken Robinson from purchasing a greener vehicle.
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Robinson’s own driveway is too small for an EV, so to charge it he would have to block the footpath.
While he understands the position of council when it comes to them being “sued” over “public liability” he said “there must be a way of finding some way of charging while you’re on the street from your house without breaking the law.”
When A Current Affair contacted the North Sydney Council it didn’t address Slaytor and Decaluwe’s circumstance.
It said it was working to develop an evidence-based approach to electric vehicle policy, but didn’t explain what that was.
In Melbourne, the City of Port Phillip rolled out a private kerbside electric vehicle charger trial program.
After a positive response it has been extended another four years.
Drive.com.au consumer editor Susannah Guthrie said the uptake of electric cars is rising exponentially every passing year.
She said it was tricky for owners who don’t have off the street parking to charge their EV’s due to the lack of infrastructure.
“People are trying to find solutions and do the right thing and they’re getting desperate because it is really hard to use public charging infrastructure regularly,” Guthrie said.
“This is the next best thing because councils are not coming to the table.”
Guthrie said public EV charging stations were significantly cheaper than using petrol for those who can find one.
She said there were 2000 public chargers for the 180,000 electric vehicles in Australia.
“In the UK, they are using existing infrastructure like lamp poles and power poles and putting charges in there,” Guthrie said.
The NSW state government said it was rolling out almost 700 more public charging stations.
But until that happens, Slaytor worries the plug will be pulled on his electric dreams.
FULL NORTH SYDNEY COUNCIL STATEMENT
Council has a responsibility to ensure public safety, including the safety of pedestrians using our public footpaths.
Electrical cables that run across footpaths are a risk to public safety, as well as being a breach of the Local Government Act 1993.
A $330 on-the-spot fine applies, however we issue warnings for first offences where possible.
Over the past year, we have issued fewer than ten warnings and no fines. Council is working to develop an evidence-based approach to electric vehicle policy.
The work is ongoing and we are aiming to consult on this approach in the 2024/25 financial year.
The electric vehicle space is constantly evolving, and we need a coordinated and informed approach to ensure the best possible outcomes for the community.
In the interim, Council provides electric vehicle charging infrastructure in our public car parks.
We encourage residents who are not able to charge their electric vehicles on their own properties to make use of these facilities.
A list is available on Council’s website.
FULL STATEMENT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, ENERGY, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER
The rate of electric vehicle (EV) uptake in NSW is at an all-time high with EVs making up 13 % of new vehicle sales in March 2024.
Through the Electric Vehicle Strategy, the NSW government is accelerating this uptake and ensuring that NSW is the easiest place to own and drive an EV.
As with many aspects of the energy transition, ensuring there is sufficient infrastructure takes time.
That’s why the NSW government is investing $209 million to ensure that a widespread, world-class EV charging network is built throughout the state.
The most convenient (and cheapest) place to charge an EV is at home. However, for the approximately 30% of drivers that don’t have access to off-street parking at home, and for those that are travelling throughout the state, public EV charging infrastructure is required.
To date, over 1200 public EV charging stations have been installed across the state, including a mix of charger types and sizes. Many of these sites include multiple chargers and charging bays.
This number continues to grow as the government approves more charging locations and the private sector continues to build out their charging networks.
Drivers of electric vehicles without access to off-street parking should have confidence in their ability to charge their EV safely at a nearby kerbside charging location.
The first 671 EV charging ports at 391 kerbside charging locations are being rolled out across 16 LGAs in Sydney and Newcastle (via the EV Kerbside charging grants).
A second funding round will open in the middle of the year to co-fund a further $4.5 million in public kerbside charging infrastructure.
Under the EV fast charging grants, the NSW Government is also rolling out $149 million in public fast charging stations.
There are 208 EV charging bays currently being built across metropolitan NSW and a new $54 million grant round was opened on 27 June 2024 to fund additional stations across the state.
There are a variety of information sources that drivers can use to locate the growing number of public EV charging stations near them including;
Drivers that have made the switch to EVs or are considering doing so are encouraged to reach out to their local council to understand the council’s plans for supporting the provision of future public charging locations in their Local Government Area (LGA).
Particularly as councils can support the provision of more public kerbside chargers in their LGA through NSW government grant programs.