A charging station for charging the battery of a vehicle, comprising: a base portion configured for mounting in a substructure, such as a roadway or walkway; a charging portion having a charging outlet for connection to a vehicle by a cable; a retraction mechanism for moving the charging portion between an extended position in which it extends out of the base portion and a retracted position; and a controller for controlling the retraction mechanism; the controller being configured to in use: determine if movement of the charging portion from the retracted position into the extended position is obstructed, and to prevent operation of the retraction mechanism if an obstruction is detected; where the controller determines there is no obstruction to movement of the charging portion into the extended position, cause the retraction mechanism to move the charging portion to the extended position for charging the battery of a vehicle in response to a stimulus, the charging portion in the extended position being laterally adjacent to the vehicle; determine if movement of the charging portion from the extended position to the retracted position is obstructed, and to prevent operation of the retraction mechanism if an obstruction is detected; determine whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the most recent charging from the charging outlet ceased; and where the controller determines there is no obstruction to movement of the charging portion into the retracted position, cause the retraction mechanism to move the charging portion to the retracted position if the predetermined period of time is determined to have elapsed since the most recent electrical supply from the outlet. a base portion configured for mounting in a substructure, such as a roadway or walkway; a charging portion having a charging outlet for connection to a vehicle by a cable; a retraction mechanism for moving the charging portion between an extended position in which it extends out of the base portion and a retracted position; and a controller for controlling the retraction mechanism; the controller being configured to in use: determine if movement of the charging portion from the retracted position into the extended position is obstructed, and to prevent operation of the retraction mechanism if an obstruction is detected; where the controller determines there is no obstruction to movement of the charging portion into the extended position, cause the retraction mechanism to move the charging portion to the extended position for charging the battery of a vehicle in response to a stimulus, the charging portion in the extended position being laterally adjacent to the vehicle; determine if movement of the charging portion from the extended position to the retracted position is obstructed, and to prevent operation of the retraction mechanism if an obstruction is detected; determine whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the most recent charging from the charging outlet ceased; and where the controller determines there is no obstruction to movement of the charging portion into the retracted position, cause the retraction mechanism to move the charging portion to the retracted position if the predetermined period of time is determined to have elapsed since the most recent electrical supply from the outlet. determine if movement of the charging portion from the retracted position into the extended position is obstructed, and to prevent operation of the retraction mechanism if an obstruction is detected; where the controller determines there is no obstruction to movement of the charging portion into the extended position, cause the retraction mechanism to move the charging portion to the extended position for charging the battery of a vehicle in response to a stimulus, the charging portion in the extended position being laterally adjacent to the vehicle; determine if movement of the charging portion from the extended position to the retracted position is obstructed, and to prevent operation of the retraction mechanism if an obstruction is detected; determine whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the most recent charging from the charging outlet ceased; and where the controller determines there is no obstruction to movement of the charging portion into the retracted position, cause the retraction mechanism to move the charging portion to the retracted position if the predetermined period of time is determined to have elapsed since the most recent electrical supply from the outlet.