Herefordshire and Worcestershire criticised for lack of electric car chargers
Neither county has a strategy in place to install on-street residential charging points for electric vehicles despite the country lagging behind its target of installing 300,000 by 2030
Herefordshire and Worcestershire have been criticised for a lack of electric car chargers, with a petrol and diesel ban just seven years away.
From 2030, the sale of new petrol or diesel cars that can't travel a "significant distance" in zero-emissions mode will be banned.
A Freedom of Information investigation by carmaker Vauxhall UK has revealed that more than 70 per cent of UK councils have no strategy in place to install on-street residential charging points for electric vehicles (EV).
That’s despite the country lagging behind its target of installing 300,000 by 2030 – and includes both county councils. Worcestershire has 30 chargers and Herefordshire just 13.
The research also found 40 per cent of households do not have a driveway, rising to 60 per cent in urban, with 80 per cent of charging done at home.
It said there 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.
The FOI application to 414 councils and local authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland also reveals that 69 per cent 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.
Councillor Mike Rouse, Worcestershire County Council cabinet member for highways and transport, said it is actively addressing the development of electric vehicle infrastructure.
He said it had secured funding from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme to develop an electric vehicle charging strategy.
He also said the figures obtained by Vauxhall might not represent the full picture.
“As an electric vehicle user, I understand the challenges, and I want to assure you that Worcestershire is on par with other rural counties in its commitment to advancing EV infrastructure,” he said.
In Herefordshire, a spokesperson said it was also working on an EV strategy which it will look to publish by the end of the year.
It is also taking part in a Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme in partnership with four other local authorities which will see 349 charge points installed across the four areas next year.
The spokesperson said: “We are currently awaiting the outcome of our application to the main LEVI scheme, which provides even more investment in local charging infrastructure.”
They added: “The council has partnered with Wenea to drive the roll out of electric vehicle charge points in council car parks across the county.
“This year we will deliver 20 additional sockets with more to come soon after.”