A Bristol man has accused DPD drivers at Bristol Science Park of 'blocking' the electric vehicle chargers on offer, after he nearly lost power on his vehicle waiting for the vans to move. Chris claimed that DPD drivers "regularly park their vans there and leave them so nobody else can use the chargers".
Bristol Science Park is based in Emersons Green, South Gloucestershire. The business park cost £300 million to build and is expected to employ about 6,000 once fully developed.
DPD said it encourages drivers to follow good charging etiquette and move their vehicles from the charging bays once charging is complete. It added it would be talking to drivers to remind them that charging points are for the use of the whole EV community and that occupying charging points for longer than necessary is not acceptable.
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The battery on Chris' vehicle got as low as 3% on one occasion when the vans were 'blocking' the chargers. He said: "There are five rapid chargers at Bristol Science Park.
"DPD regularly park their vans there and leave them so nobody else can use the chargers. On Tuesday (August 9) they had blocked four of the five chargers, and the other wasn't working.
"I went out and tried again on my way home, when one had become free - but they were still blocking three of the useable chargers. Having not been able to charge the first time I arrived, I went about my evening and arrived back the second time on 3% battery.
"If they hadn't moved the one van, I'd have been screwed."
A spokesperson for DPD said: "DPD’s move away from diesel to electric delivery vehicles is bringing many green benefits to Bristol and its residents. Whilst DPD EV drivers have every right to use the rapid charging points at the Bristol & Bath Science Park, we encourage our drivers to follow good charging etiquette and move their vehicles from the charging bays once charging is complete.
"As such we will be talking to our drivers to remind them that charging points are for the use of the whole EV community and that occupying charging points for longer than necessary is not acceptable.”
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