Consultation on Rapid Charging Fund

The fuel panic buying over the last week and shortage at the pumps saw a huge increase in electric vehicle enquiries.  One of the biggest concerns the public has regarding EV’s is the charging infrastructure across the UK. This week’s blog summarises the new Government consultation looking to increase EV charging capability across the country….

Electric Vehicle Deadline

The UK is committed to phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030. All new cars and vans will be fully zero emissions from 2035. The Government is consulting on the availability and accessibility of public electric car charging infrastructure, seeking new powers to intervene in the private sector.

A new consultation launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) – and its subsidiary the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) – is part of a call for four pieces of primary legislation.

A link to the consultation can be found here.

One Charge Point for every 5 or 10 parking spaces

The first would grant the department new powers to set a minimum level of charging infrastructure in non-residential car parks, which landowners must adhere to. The DfT suggests one ChargePoint for every 10 parking spaces would be a potential target, with cable routes for chargers in one in five spaces.

If granted these powers, the DfT says it would “not have immediate plans” to use them and would instead “continue to monitor the delivery of charging infrastructure”, using the powers only if deemed appropriate.

The Government wants similar powers obliging local authorities to plan and deliver EV future charging infrastructure plans, pointing the finger at councils that have “not yet identified what is needed” in their jurisdictions with regard to on-street charge points and rapid charging hubs.

New Rapid Charging Fund

The third piece of legislation relates to the new £950 million Rapid Charging Fund to finance the installation of additional or upgraded EV charging infrastructure at service stations on motorways and major A roads.

The fund covers only England, future-proofing the provision of EV charging on National Highways’ strategic road network. The Government now wants the power to require open tenders for new agreements with private firms, with a minimum of two ChargePoint providers contracted at each service station, creating more competition between companies.

Finally, the Government is seeking EV drivers’ views on their experience at public ChargePoint’s, with a view to improving accessibility for disabled motorists and making people safer when their car is charging.

Many groups have pointed to the fact that not all regions benefit from equal access to EV infrastructure. The DfT has, therefore, promised to develop a specific Future of Transport Rural Strategy.

The consultation is open until 11:45pm on Monday 22 November. Responses can be submitted on the DfT’s website, by email or by post.

For more information on rolling out EV charge points please contact hello@gleg.co.uk.