Drivers have slammed " fascist" and "granny" electric car charging road signs after a consultation.
The Department for Transport has published an update on a major trial which took place that could see new electric vehicle signs rolled out across the UK.
The trial looked at changes to the "petrol pump" symbol, with a new one showing the front view of a car with a standard three-pin plug and the third had a "lightning bolt" wire to give guidance to EV motorists looking for a chargepoint.
More than 1,100 people across England took place in the experiment but respondents said it was too easily confused by the trial. The "lightning bolt" was likened to a "flash" used in fascist imagery by some motorists.
One said: "It's a three-pin charging point. People would assume they're not fast 7kw charging because it’s like the granny chargers." The report concluded: "In summary, this research suggests that the green pump-and-flash symbol will be interpreted accurately by the smallest portion of the population but that the green, car-based symbols stand out better in crowded contexts and are most accurately recalled after repeated viewings.
"Improvements should be considered to whichever of the two car-based symbols is selected for use on motorway service stations signs and directional road signs." Speaking to GB News, Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey Charging, had his say.
He added: "In every major European country, signs for electric refuelling from the main roads are normal. Yet here in the UK, there is still no standard process for applying for EV charging signage, whether on council-adopted roads or national highways."
A spokesperson for Telford and Wrekin Council told GB News this week after the trial in the West Midlands region that there are "clear and well-established national guidance" regarding where traffic signs can be installed.
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