Calls for Ayrshire councils to step up introduction of electric car chargers
A freedom of information request shows all three local authorities currently have no plans to introduce on-street residential charging points
Last updated 15th Aug 2023
The boss of an Ayrshire electric vehicle firm is calling on all three local authorities in the region to “get their act together” and come up with a real strategy for the installation of on-street charging points.
A recent freedom if information request showed that none of the three Ayrshire councils have any plans to install on-street residential charging points within the next year.
It is only seven years until it becomes illegal for car manufacturers to make and sell petrol and diesel vehicles, and there is concern the infrastructure won’t be in place to support the switch to electric vehicles.
40% of households do not have a driveway, rising to 60% in urban areas, meaning on-street residential charging points are vital to allow people to charge their cars at home.
Councils accused of not taking the situation seriously
Dougie Blair from Ayrshire based EV & renewables firm Beyond Innovation says councillors are not taking the situation seriously: “There’s always some reason that the council hasn’t made a decision on this.” He told Greatest Hits Radio News.
“They’ve just been kicking the can down the road for such a long time and excuses are being made.
READ MORE: South Ayrshire company leads the way in preparations for electric car takeover
“Providing on-street charging is instrumental in making (the move away from petrol and diesel vehicles) happen, and the councils need to step up to the plate and make it happen.
“If they’re not going to do it now they’ll be forced to do it at some point, but they’re best to use the funding that’s available today to make it happen today.”
Residential on-street charging solutions include lamp post chargers, which can be installed and working within as little as 30 minutes, and innovative pavement-mounted bollards.
69% of UK councils yet to install any on-street chargers
The FOI application, from Vauxhall, to 414 councils and local authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland reveals that 69% of local authorities have yet to install any on-street chargers.
According to the 289 councils who responded, only 14,188 new points are planned for the rest of the year, well behind the run rate required to hit the Government’s target of having 300,000 running by the end of 2030.
Vauxhall has teamed up with leading charging operators Char.gy, Connected Kerb, and Surecharge in setting up the multi-year ‘Enablement Fund’ to help councils understand the scale of on-street charging issues, and the solutions available, ahead of the Government’s planned ban on the sale of new combustion engine cars in 2030.
Councils insist they are 'committed' to supporting move towards electric vehicles
Kevin Braidwood, Head of Roads - Ayrshire Alliance advised:
“East Ayrshire Council & South Ayrshire Council will not be installing any on-street residential charging points during this current financial year. The previous Scottish Government funding stream is no longer available to us, and to be eligible for any grant in the future we need to enter into a contract with the private sector to develop the public charging network in East and South Ayrshire.
“This was approved by Cabinet in both authorities in March 2023. To this end, we have issued a Public Information Notice to enable us to progress with the procurement arrangements.”
A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We are committed to promoting the uptake of electric vehicles and developing a robust charging infrastructure for residents, businesses and visitors.
“We launched our Electric Vehicle Strategy in 2021 and earlier this year approved an exciting new EV charging infrastructure joint project with East and South Ayrshire Councils. The proposals include a £5m investment to provide over 300 new chargers across the region, including some in residential locations.
“In the meantime, we have plans underway for additional investment in chargers at demand-led locations for this year and next financial year.”
Greatest Hits Radio News has also approached South Ayrshire Council for comment.