Department For Transport
The transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) will help the UK to meet our legally binding climate change targets. It will improve air quality in our towns and cities and support economic growth. It will also put us at the forefront of the electric vehicle (EV) revolution with many vehicles built in the UK.
In 2020, the Prime Minister announced that we will end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, with all new cars and vans being fully zero emission at the tailpipe from 2035.
Building on the 1.9 billion from the Spending Review 2020, the government has committed an additional 620 million to support the transition to EVs.
The additional funding will support the rollout of charging infrastructure with a particular focus on local on-street residential charging and targeted plug-in vehicle grants.
The total funding committed by this government to vehicle grants and infrastructure is 2.5 billion.
Local leadership in this transition is crucial. Local authorities have a crucial role to play in enabling the transition to ZEVs in their areas, including:
- proactively supporting and delivering the rollout of electric vehicle chargepoints
- helping to ensure the transition is integrated into wider local transport and community needs
The government acknowledges this is a new and complex area for local authorities. This can lead to actual or perceived barriers to a successful rollout of EV charging infrastructure.
This guidance provides resources for local authorities, linking to relevant government publications and support, and advice from relevant external bodies. It will be updated as new laws, regulations and examples of best practice develop.
Role and importance of local authorities
The EV Infrastructure Strategy sets out clear expectations for major stakeholders, including local authorities.
Local authorities are responsible for overarching planning policies in their areas, including street alternations and parking.
In Great Britain, they also own lampposts and bollards, which can be adapted to incorporate public charging, as already demonstrated in many areas.
Many local authorities also own local car parks, which can be adapted to include local charging infrastructure.
Importantly, local authorities understand the transport needs of their local population, which they should be considering as part of transportation planning.
Roles vary across tiers of local government along with powers and related competencies and charging strategies vary between areas, based on local needs and contexts. Through policies and published strategies, local authorities can facilitate and help guide the market to deliver to meet the charging needs of residents, businesses and visitors.
Writing or being part of an EV infrastructure strategy is vital to establishing objectives, ways of working, responsibilities and a pathway to delivery.
Even in places where a two-tier structure exists, district and borough councils must work with the relevant Highways Authority on a coordinated strategy and delivery for EV chargepoints.
Leading areas often cite a coordinated suite of activities as being helpful to address the EV charging needs of residents, businesses and visitors, for example:
Publishing a long-term strategy to meet the EV charging needs in a local authority or region
This could include considering how best to align wider net zero policies, including those in transport and energy.
Considering options to decarbonise vehicle fleets operating in the local area
This could include implementing a plan to electrify local authority vehicles, supporting eCar clubs and the infrastructure needed for taxis and private hire vehicles to electrify.
Engaging broadly with local business and the public
This could include awareness-raising activities to ensure residents, businesses and visitors are aware of EV charging infrastructure, and try before you buy vehicle schemes.
Funding schemes
On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme
A significant national and local policy challenge is how to ensure sufficient provision of EV chargepoints for residents without private parking.
Available to all UK local authorities, the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) provides funding towards the capital costs of installing public charging infrastructure for residents without private parking. It supports installations both on-street and in local authority-owned residential car parks.
In the financial year 2022 to 2023, 37 million is available through ORCS.
If a local authority needs guidance or support to bid for ORCS funding, Energy Saving Trust is funded by the government to provide free, impartial advice and feedback throughout the application stage.
Energy Saving Trusts Local Government Support Programme can also help.
Local EV Infrastructure Fund
To be launched in 2023, the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund will help local authorities leverage private sector investment into their local charging networks and put in place long-term, sustainable charging infrastructure.
To ensure the new LEVI fund is designed in a way to best support local authorities in delivery, we launched a 10 million pilot and winners were announced in August 2022. We announced an extended pilot in February 2023 to expand funding to an additional 16 local authorities.
In addition, an 8 million LEVI Capability Fund launched for the financial years 2022 and 2023 to provide an injection of upfront resource funding to help ensure local authorities in England have dedicated staff to undertake the planning and delivery of local EV chargepoints in their areas.
Workplace Charging Scheme
The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) can help local authorities to electrify their own fleets and help transition their staff to EVs, supporting them in their environmental commitments.
The WCS is a voucher-based scheme open to all local authorities. It provides support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints that are dedicated to staff or fleet use. The scheme provides up to 350 for each chargepoint socket installed at a site, with applicants being able to receive up to 40 grants.
In 2022, the WCS will be opened to small accommodation businesses and the charity sector. This?will?help to accelerate EV uptake?in rural areas and support the UK?tourist industry.
Additional help will be provided to small- and medium-sized enterprises to fund their staff or fleet carparks.
A new fund, w