Many local authorities not consulting businesses on EV plans

A new survey of local authorities in the South East has found that only 18 per cent of those surveyed had consulted with local businesses on an EV charge point strategy, while half had spoken to local residents.

The survey conducted by Cornwall Insight and the Greater South East Net Zero Hub looked at the readiness of local authorities (LAs) for the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the South East.

It found that 53 per cent of respondents surveyed indicated that they do not have an electric vehicle charging infrastructure strategy in place, and of these, 17 per cent said they were yet to consider developing a strategy. Cost was identified as the primary barrier to developing a plan, while grid capacity and staffing were also cited as obstacles.

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 LAs 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.”