Forum Topic

Blue City Cars

I've just watched a video about Blue City Cars. I do have a question about them, however. It seems that the cars can be plugged in at any electric car charging point and remain plugged in until the next person comes to drive. I have noticed that the cars - two to three at a time - are often plugged in at the (public?) charge points at Isleworth Pool and Library (2) and near to New Chiswick Pool (3) and also, at times, at the Strand on the Green side of Kew Bridge.Am I right in thinking that a car remains plugged in until the next driver 'releases' it? Being as this could take some time, even days, it means that the charging point is occupied so that others can't use it, also meaning that it provides day long free parking.I could well have got this completely wrong - please explain. All I am thinking though is that if you had an electric car of your own, these charge points would/could be taken virtually continuously by Blue City cars.

Anne England ● 2520d11 Comments

You then have to ask whether other electric car owners should be allowed to use the space as a free parking space when they no longer need charging. Product placement in this sort of venture where electric cars need to be noticed so that the public are reminded and nudged towards a change benefiting us all is obviously important.

Philippa Bond ● 2511d

No reply as yet from Blue City cars as to whether the cars should be left plugged in and occupying a space when already charged. It should also be noted that just because a bay is empty it does not mean to say that it hasn't been reserved - I did read the Blue City blurb and it said that you can book a space to charge/park and that the console will be lit with either a red or blue light to show that it is 'taken'. The console then has to be used by the person who has reserved the space within a certain period of time. I can't remember the specifics but those are the basics.I'm not at all against a scheme like Blue City cars - I have asked some rather straightforward questions to which it is difficult to get an answer. I tried phoning SSE Enterprises (the name which is on the consoles) but nobody knew who it was I should speak to. I was finally given another number entirely and was told when I got through to this number that it had nothing to do with them.I was down by Strand on the Green near Kew Bridge this morning and all three spaces were taken by Blue City cars. Of the two at Albany Parade, one was taken by a Blue City car. I have yet to see one being driven by anybody although they must of course be used at times.Of course Blue City cars pay SSE Enterprises to use the charge points while the car is CHARGING but surely not to sit there for sometimes days on end. It seems like a product-placement exercise to me and I'm wondering whether other similar companies will soon be doing the same.

Anne England ● 2511d

No need to be so dismissive of my statement about sharing.  It does need to be stated as the British tend to like to own things when it may be better/not necessary to.  Take a look at our Victorian and Edwardian housing and the amount of space in front of each home.  Then consider the number of people who are old enough to drive that often live there.  We just don't each have the space to park or drive a car all the time.I did notice in one piece that I read about Blue City that the intention was only to be taking up 50% of the parking space themselves.  You are right to question them.  Using the app should show you how many are in use and out of order.  I have been told of several that were always out of order and questioned Source London on this some time ago and must follow up - as their response did not make sense. Do they alert owners when their cars are fully charged or can they "forget" them for the weekend or longer I wonder?  I notice that electric car drivers do comment when they find the charging bays parked in by a petrol or diesel car as having found the space "ICED".I checked - it was the Autocar report which I put on this website.  Did you read it? The list of Source London points are here:https://www.zap-map.com/bluecity-expands-ev-car-club-in-london/More public ones are being added all the time and people with drives and garaging are also getting their own installed. Government grants come and go.https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/transport

Philippa Bond ● 2512d

I just had a look at Google Street view for a snapshot of the local elec points I'm aware of:- Brentford station, 1 Blue City, one free- Alabny parade, 2 free, though one looks like it's out of service- Thames Road by Kew Bridge 1 Blue City, 2 free.- Syon Lane 1 free, 1 Tesla- Fountain Centre 1 Free, 1 BMWAccording to Blue City website just now, 1 by the station, 2 on SYon Lane, none at ALbany or Fountain, 3 at Thames Road.It's going to be very hard to match supply for elec points to demand as elec cars take off but I'm of the opinion that things like BC will help build critical mass. I also think we have a diligent and effective traffic team in LBH who will do a decent job of balancing competing demands, as I believe they do now.

Guy Lambert ● 2513d

Two charging points on the bridge above Brentford Station are regularly taken up by Blue City cars; as you say nowhere for owners of electric cars to park/charge.

Reg Ghosh ● 2513d

Thanks, Guy for your efforts and response. What I would say though is that 'I would note that residents with electric vehicles parked in charging bays also benefit from free parking whilst the vehicle is charging' says it all i.e. 'while the vehicle is charging'. The fact is that the vehicles are not just there while they are charging whoever they are owned by and Blue City cars frequently occupy the same space for days on end from plugging in at the end of one ride until the next punter comes along and releases it. It seems to me that there will in the end be no spaces left for genuine charging if all electric car owners and the likes of Blue City cars have to do to get endless free parking is to plug the car in as if it is charging.Before your response came through this morning I emailed Blue City cars myself asking specifically whether the cars should be occupying the points when obviously still not actually charging so will post their response. I will also see what the situation is like today with these cars.Otherwise, yes, of course I welcome such a scheme as offered by Blue City cars but you can see the problem. This situation will only be exacerbated if other similar car companies jump on the bandwagon. Either these charge points are meant to be used only for when actually charging a vehicle or they are not and that is what I would like to know.

Anne England ● 2514d

Here's a response from one of our traffic engineers:The Council are currently programming a formal (statutory) consultation to introduce 39 new Source London charge points across the borough as part of ‘phase 3’ within our electric vehicle charge point programme and objectives set out in the Air Quality Action Plan published in 2018. This is to meet increasing demand for charge points across the borough in locations that are seen to be ideal to accommodate these ‘top-up’ charge points.  The Bluecity vehicles are intended for short journeys and work on a point-to-point basis in that a resident can commence a journey from one side of the borough and finish that journey in a totally different part of the borough, the only stipulation being that the Bluecity vehicle must be left in any Source London charging bay. The vehicles are scattered sporadically across the borough and managed so that they never exceed demand; however, due to the point-to-point aspect we are unable to manage where the vehicles end their journeys, especially as this provides a unique selling point as well as an encouragement to use an electric vehicle for residents. In response to the Bluecity vehicles getting away with free parking, I would note that residents with electric vehicles parked in charging bays also benefit from free parking whilst the vehicle is charging. I do note the concerns regarding Bluecity vehicles occupying all bays at one particular location and will raise this with Source London with the request to distribute the vehicles more evenly across the borough to ensure enough charge points are left vacant for residents to use. Also, the Council have a residential charge point programme where we offer to install charge points within lamp columns for residents on their road. Further information can be found on the following link and the application form at the bottom of that page: https://www.hounslow.gov.uk/info/20053/transport/1497/electric_vehicles_and_charging_points/2. Finally, we are more than happy to consider suggestions from residents should they feel strongly that a particular area requires a charge point due to excessive demand or high electric vehicle ownership.This is a startup, and they are trying to provide a London-wide network of electric utility cars for people who don't want or can't afford a car of their own but want an electric car. In my opinion we should support it in this way because it will tend both to reduce the number of little-used private cars clogging our streets and reduce the air pollution generated by them when they move.

Guy Lambert ● 2514d

'The idea is to share these cars rather than having your own ....' - I think I'd worked that one out.I would like an answer to the questions I raised in my original post. I don't think anybody, whether you own the electric car or whether it is part of a 'share' scheme is supposed to leave the car plugged in for days on end (in Blue City's case until the next punter comes along which could be days) - once the car is charged it is supposed to be moved. If Blue City cars have sponsored these charge points then fine - I am asking what the position is.I was at Redlees Park this afternoon and one of the two spaces was taken by a Blue City car with something like 'OFO' as part of its licence plate. There's a good chance of me being that way tomorrow and then again possibly on Tuesday so it will be interesting to see what the situation is then.P.S. I've always thought it okay to bag a recliner with my towel on holiday and expect the recliner to remain mine for the week. Blow everybody else!

Anne England ● 2514d

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/new-bluecity-electric-car-sharing-scheme-launch-februaryThe idea is to share these cars rather than having your own as they are not cheap to buy and most people wouldn't be using them constantly.  Did you have a look at the map of charging points to see where all the other charging points nearby are?

Philippa Bond ● 2516d

Well it certainly looks as though it may be.I still don't quite understand how these charge points are (meant to) work but it seems to me that Blue City cars are dropped off and plugged in at a charge point and remain there until the next punter comes along and releases it which, as far as I can tell, could take days. Meanwhile, nobody else can use the charge points which on closer inspection today seem to be supplied by SSE, presumably in cooperation with the Council.Today I was at Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre and the only two charge points were and no doubt still are taken by Blue City cars and afterwards walked to the Strand on the Green side of Kew Bridge and two out of the three charge points were and probably still are taken by Blue City cars. As I said in my original post, this is most often the situation with the charge points when I go to New Chiswick Pool (just around the corner from the pool) and also at Isleworth Pool.It's all very well but 1. this means that the Blue City cars are blocking the spaces for other users and getting free parking where parking charges apply (as at Brentford Fountain Leisure and at Strand on the Green) for days on end and 2. it rather puts me off even considering buying an electric car if public charge points are being monopolised in this way.While I'm here - Mobikes are all over the place and down on their sides at the moment no doubt due to the high winds and a very poorly designed stand. Not only are they an eyesore but a trip hazard too.

Anne England ● 2517d

Is this another business like Mobikes that uses free public spaces and facilities to carry out its trade without paying anything for the privilege?

Peter Evans ● 2518d