Readers Letter: ICEing Issues at the Leisure Centre

A local resident and electric vehicle owner has raised the following gripe.

Dear COGNEWS,

I can't charge my electric car because diesel and petrol cars are in the bays all the time. I've gone to the local leisure centre for the last three weeks on a Tuesday night, and there are just normal cars parked in the bays.

Also, the charging points in the council car park (Tape Street) don't work. Absolutely, what's the point of having the chargers if we can't use them?

Name & Address Supplied

Reader's photo: South Moorlands Leisure Centre

Response:

In the UK, "ICEing"—where petrol or diesel (Internal Combustion Engine) vehicles block EV charging bays. Bays can also be blocked by other EV users who are not actually charging. It's considered bad etiquette, especially where chargers are few and far between, such as in Cheadle.

It's also a civil offense - contravention code 71 "Parked in an electric vehicles' charging place during restricted hours without charging." This is a parking contravention issued under the Civil Enforcement of Road Traffic Contraventions (General Provisions) Regulations 2022.

Councils across the country are increasingly enforcing these areas. In 2024, tens of thousands of fines were issued to non-EV drivers parked in charging bays, and many locations now use cameras and wardens.

Staffordshire Moorlands District enforces this via civil enforcement officers on the street and the car parks they operate in the area - but does that include their Leisure Centres Car Parks or just the general ones? - We'll let you know. According to a search, you can use their "Report It" tool to report ICEing issues, but we found it unclear as to where to report, so it's probably best to use the contact link rather than abandoned vehicles - we'll ask about this too. https://www.staffsmoorlands.gov.uk/Report_It

Private operators (supermarkets, motorway services) can also issue their own Parking Charge Notices if signs clearly state the bay is for electric vehicles only and for charging purposes.

About Misuse of an EV Charging Bay

A vehicle is often considered to be misused if it is parked in the bay but not actively charging, or if it stays past its permitted charging time (overstay).

Signage is Important 

Successful appeals against fines often happen if the signage or road markings are missing, faded, or unclear, so we're asking readers to let us know if the instructions on local car parks are clear, and if not, please report it. This is not to encourage fines being issued but to ensure all motorists don't get caught out in the first place.

Here's what  SMDC says about ICEing and their EV Charging Plans:

SMDC enforces regulations against "ICEing" (Internal Combustion Engine vehicles blocking EV charging bays) in its car parks through the use of Penalty Charge Notices

• Enforcement Action: Petrol and diesel vehicles parked in dedicated electric vehicle (EV) charging bays, especially when not actively charging, are subject to receiving a Penalty Charge Notice.

• Contravention Code: The council utilizes Contravention Code 71, which relates to being "parked in an electric vehicles' charging place during restricted hours without charging".

• Civil Enforcement: These regulations are enforced by civil enforcement officers in council-owned car parks.

• Signage: The rules and restrictions are outlined on signage at each specific car park.

• Future Strategy: As part of their 2021-2026 Parking Strategy and EV Charging Infrastructure Delivery Plan, the council has committed to a phased installation of new charging hubs and intends to ensure that charging points are accessible, which includes managing improper parking in these bays.

  
  

Reader's Letter: ICEing Issues at the Leisure Centre - created 2nd May 2026