Local authorities in South East England are failing to consult with businesses and residents on their electric vehicle strategies, according to a new study by Cornwall Insight and Greater South East Net Zero Hub.
Just 18% of local authorities in the South East that were surveyed had consulted with local businesses on an EV charge point strategy, while half had spoken to local residents. That could jeopardise the UK Government’s plan to roll-out 300,000 chargers by 2030, despite offering local authorities cash to incentivise them to install more chargers.
The survey conducted by Cornwall Insight and the Greater South East Net Zero Hub suggests many local authorities will struggle to understand future demand for charging points in their respective areas, something which will be critical in the development of strategies and ensuring fair access to charging for all consumers.
However, even more shockingly, many local authorities have yet to actually come up with a plan for installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The survey revealed that 53% of respondents do not currently have an electric vehicle charging infrastructure strategy in place, and of these, 17% said they were yet to consider developing a strategy, with cost cited as the primary barrier to developing a plan, while grid capacity and staffing issues were also mentioned.
Although the rollout of public charging points has increased rapidly, take-up by local authorities has been mixed. The Government expects local authorities to support and deliver EV charge points and is considering taking pre-emptive powers to put a statutory obligation on them to develop strategies and oversee delivery. A consultation on this is expected in 2023.
It is hoped the results of this survey will help the Greater South East Net Zero Hub to address barriers to the rollout of EV charging infrastructure in more detail, prioritise how best to support EV charging projects and share valuable lessons learned.
Katie Hickford, Senior Analyst at Cornwall Insight, “This survey is a snapshot of the state of electric vehicle (EV) planning across local authorities up and down the country. While the shortage of charge point strategies in many local authorities (LAs) in the South East is concerning, it is the obstacles faced by LA’s in their ability to engage with local businesses and residents that need addressing in the first instance. After all, if you don’t know what the demand will be, how are you supposed to plan for it?
“LAs face the challenge of managing limited staff and financial resources, so must ensure the correct type of charge points are put in the locations that need it most. By engaging with businesses and residents, LAs can ensure that infrastructure meets the needs of the community, promotes the adoption of EVs, and contributes to a cleaner, more sustainable future. It is really key that industry supports LAs, providing help and solutions to allow LAs to understand demand and rollout charge points at pace. Government support such as the updates seen this week to the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme will also be vital to LAs, as well as best practice and knowledge sharing amongst LAs themselves.”
