Rollout of electric vehicles chargepoints to be accelerated
New measures to support electric vehicle drivers from the Government’s Plan for Drivers has launched including grants for schools, cash for councils and new proposals to boost chargepoint numbers.
The grant forms part of the Workplace Charging Scheme and is available for state-funded schools, colleges, nurseries and academies to boost the chargepoint facilities for staff and visitors. This could help schools to generate revenue by making their chargepoints available to the public.
The schools grant is for state-funded schools and education institutions which must have dedicated off-street parking facilities. Independent schools may apply for funding through the Workplace Charging Scheme and electric vehicle infrastructure grant for SMEs.
The Government is also delivering the £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to local authorities across the country. The first capital payments for charging projects have been approved to three local authorities from East Sussex to North Yorkshire, and two London Boroughs. The funding will support the installation of thousands of new chargers.
Through the LEVI Capability funding, almost 100 dedicated EV officers have been newly recruited to support chargepoint procurement. The Government is also launching the electric vehicle infrastructure (EVI) training course for their officers, which will open to all local authorities from mid-March following a successful trial.
Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne said:
“We’re getting on with delivering our Plan for Drivers, and this latest set of measures will mean EV owners everywhere benefit from easier and more convenient access to chargepoints.
“This Government has already spent over £2bn to ensure a smooth switch to EVs, and we’re committed to supporting drivers as we transition towards net zero in a proportionate way that doesn’t burden working people.”
Minister for the School System and Student Finance at the Department for Education Baroness Barran said:
“This is an exciting opportunity for schools across England to become part of an ongoing move towards a greener public sector. Schools engaging with this grant will be supporting the development of green infrastructure, helping to improve their local environments.
“Developing a greener education estate is a key element of our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy. The expansion of this grant supports our ambition to improve the sustainability of our schools in the ongoing move towards net zero.”
The Government has also launched a consultation to look at ways to speed up chargepoint installation across the country. The proposals would give EV chargepoint operators the right to carry out street works using a permit rather than a licence.
Permits can be issued much faster, taking days instead of months, and are significantly cheaper to obtain than licences, reducing costs for operators and speeding up the chargepoint rollout for drivers.
While the consultation runs, a new good practice guide has been published by the Government to improve consistency in processing licence applications across different areas.
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Cabinet member for Transport and Environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said:
“Through initiatives like the Electric Vehicle Cable Channel Pilot Programme and improving local electric vehicle infrastructure, we’re working hard to help residents without off-street parking, along with road users in Nottinghamshire, to charge their Electric Vehicles.
“We are continuing with our ambition to make Nottinghamshire healthier, more prosperous, and greener. Initiatives like this are a step closer to achieving these ambitions.
“As a county, we must do all that we can to protect the environment, and that’s why we welcome this continued Government support, which helps us to roll out electric vehicle infrastructure more widely across Nottinghamshire.”
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