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Episode 168: Liz Allan and Shamala Gadgil - Coventry’s Blueprint for Smarter, Accessible EV Infrastructure.
Liz Allan is joined by Shamala Gadgil, Director of Decarbonising Transport Consultancy Ltd and Senior Programme Manager supporting Coventry City Council. Shamala has spent years shaping one of the UK’s most ambitious EV and transport programmes, delivering practical innovation that genuinely improves people’s lives.
Together, Liz and Shamala discuss Coventry’s journey towards becoming one of the most forward-thinking transport authorities in the country, from running four Charge Point Operator contracts and delivering more than 2,300 public charging spaces since 2018 to transforming the city’s entire bus fleet into a near-fully electric operation. They discuss Coventry’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot models, the challenges of accessibility and PAS 1899 compliance, how to repurpose local-authority land to support residents without driveways, and why multimodal hubs are the future of sustainable travel.
Shamala also shares her work on dynamic wireless charging, inclusive design for disabled and mobility-restricted EV drivers, and how local authorities, CPOs, manufacturers, and central government must collaborate to get this right.
Shamala Gadgil Bio:
Shamala Gadgil is the Director of Decarbonising Transport Consultancy Ltd and a Senior Programme Manager working with Coventry City Council. With more than 30 years’ experience as a civil engineer, and a researcher currently completing her PhD, she brings a rare combination of technical expertise, holistic thinking and innovation to the UK's transport transition. She has led Coventry’s major EV programmes, including rapid charging for taxis, extensive on-street charging schemes, and the city’s transformation into an all-electric bus City. Her work is centred on public health, accessibility, and long-term sustainability, and she plays an active national role as Chair of the Transport Technology Forum’s EV Charging Infrastructure Working Group.
Quote of the Episode:
“Everything that I'm doing is about improving people's lives; reducing emissions, supporting public health, and creating transport systems that work for everyone.” – Shamala Gadgil
Shamala Gadgil Links:
Coventry City Council Website: https://www.coventry.gov.uk
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174 episodes