Councils preventing faster EV charge point rollout

SSE has claimed that councils are frustrating the rollout of electric car charging points, meaning Britain has thousands fewer than required.

The Big 6 firm, who is the contractor putting in the chargers for the Source London network, run by French firm Bolloré, states that it had hoped to install 6,000 charging points in London by this time when it started work three years ago. However, because of delays by local authorities, the company has only fitted 762.

Reports suggest that the delays are the result of slow decision-making and bureaucracy in councils, as well as different approaches to charge points across the capital’s boroughs.

For example, the Guardian reports that 130 charging points are in limbo in Southwark, where planning approval was granted in 2016, but permission has not been given by highways management, meaning they cannot be installed. Planning permission expires next year.

Kevin Welstead, sector director for electric vehicles at SSE Enterprise, said: “Progress has not been rapid. The issue is that we have to effectively negotiate with each of the 33 individual London boroughs so we can install charge points alongside their parking bays and some are more progressive on the electric vehicle agenda than others.”