The council is being urged to engage with residents when choosing where to site electric vehicle (EV) charge points.
Independent councillor Peter Atkinson made the plea after a fire engine struggled to pass the sport where drivers have to park to use one recently installed charge point.
Councillor Atkinson, who represents North Portslade on Brighton and Hove City Council, called for commonsense and local engagement when an installation of an electric vehicle (EV) charge point is being planned.
He has been contacted by a number of residents in his ward who are claiming that these charge points are being installed at points in a road where they cause potential obstructions to vehicles.
He found that one charging point had been installed on a section of the road where people don’t usually park because there are wooden posts on the verge.
As a result, drivers park on the other side of the road.
But if someone is charging their car and other vehicles are parked opposite, the road can become blocked.
Recently, in this road, he said, a fire engine couldn’t get through and had to reverse and take a different route.
Councillor Atkinson said: “You would only know the parking situation in this road if you are local.
“I was also told that the actual installer also expressed surprise at where he had been told to instal the charge point.”
Councillor Atkinson has raised this issue and another potential problem in North Portslade with the council.
But, he said, the installation work seems to have developed a momentum of its own and once a charging point has been installed, it’s almost impossible to get it moved.
Councillor Atkinson is calling for early and adequate engagement with local residents close to potential charge point sites. This would then mean that commonsense could prevail.
“I appreciate that, ultimately, this is a positive piece of work and will benefit the environment but we need to make sure that we’re not making life difficult or possibly dangerous for our residents.
“I also understand that these charging points will probably not now be moved but my hope is that more thought will go into future installations.”
The council is currently installing hundreds of EV charge points across Brighton and Hove.
