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Road signs directing motorists to electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs will be rolled out on major A roads across England, the Department for Transport (DfT) has revealed. Officials hope the initiative will persuade more drivers to make the transition to electric motoring.
Some motorists remain hesitant to abandon petrol or diesel vehicles because they worry about the capacity to recharge EVs during lengthy journeys. The DfT will also launch a £25 million program to help local authorities provide residents lacking off-road parking with EV charging options.
This will include using cables that pass through specially designed gullies in pavements, enabling these drivers to enjoy lower domestic electricity rates while avoiding costly public chargers.
According to the DfT, this could result in savings of up to £1,500 for drivers who charge their EV at home compared to those operating petrol or diesel cars. With this in mind, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the Government is making it ‘easier and cheaper’ to own an EV.
She said: “We know access to charging is a barrier for people thinking of making the switch, and we are tackling that head-on so that everyone – whether or not they have a driveway – can access the benefits of going electric.”
Additional EV initiatives announced by the Government include supplying the NHS in England with an £8 million fund to support the electrification of ambulances and medical fleets across more than 200 sites. A new grant scheme is also set to be launched to assist businesses install charging points at vehicle depots across the nation, aiding the electrification of heavy goods vehicles, vans, and coaches.
AA president Edmund King said there are more public EV chargers than people realise, but they are ‘often hidden in plain sight’. He said: “Increasing signs for the public network is vital to help the EV transition as it will create confidence for drivers both now and in the future.”Delvin Lane, the chief executive of charging company InstaVolt, similarly described the addition of charging signage on major roads as a ‘crucial step’.
He added: “For years, we have emphasised that the UK’s public EV infrastructure, so critical to mass adoption, is already largely in place, and now this signage will finally showcase it to drivers in a visible, accessible way.”
The Government has committed to prohibiting the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030. Under the Government’s zero emission vehicle (Zev) mandate, every UK car manufacturer is required to sell at least 28% of their new cars as zero emission vehicles this year, mainly meaning fully electric models.
However, figures show that during the first half of the year, just 21.6% of all vehicles sold by manufacturers met this criterion. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in April that sales of new hybrid vehicles that are not plug-in models would be allowed until 2035.
It’s believed that changes to the (Zev) mandate will also make it easier for manufacturers that do not meet the targets to avoid fines. Richard Fuller, a shadow Treasury minister, said: “Investment in infrastructure is welcome, but Labour have slashed road funding while forcing families into more expensive electric vehicles before the country is ready, as this announcement clearly shows.
“Rachel Reeves’s economic mismanagement and Keir Starmer’s failure to control his own party have led to chaotic, unfunded U-turns, meaning more tax rises are on the way. Working people, the makers who create wealth, build businesses, deliver frontline services and drive our economy, are once again being punished for Labour’s confusion and weakness.
“For too long, we’ve allowed a system that rewards takers rather than supporting those who work hard and play by the rules. Only the Conservatives stand for sound public finances, lower taxes, and real support for Britain’s drivers, not unaffordable electric cars and impossible net-zero targets.”
