GREEN MEANS GO
LONDON MAYOR ANNOUNCES INSTALLATION OF OVER 80 NEW RAPID CHARGING POINTS IN CAPITAL
London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, has announced the installation of more than 80 new rapid charging points in the capital. With London currently hosting almost one-third of all charge points in the UK and boasting the highest volume and proportion of rapid chargers among European cities, TfL will release additional land to
accommodate new
suppliers interested in installing rapid and ultra-rapid charge points along the TfL road network. In December 2021, the Mayor published the EV Infrastructure Strategy, which outlined the need for 40,000 to 60,000 public charge points in London by 2030, includ- ing up to 4,000 rapid chargers. Currently, the city has 12,800 charge points - over 900 being rapid or ultra-rapid chargers.
Suppliers will be invited to deliver over 80 new EV rapid or ultra-rapid charging bays on main roads, comprising 43 in north London and 38 south of the river. “These sites will play a huge part in supporting high mileage, essential road users and will help us work towards building a greener and more
prosperous London for
everyone,” said Mr Khan. “But while London is leading the way, we need to see more action nationally to pick up the pace delivering EV infrastructure.” A DfT spokeswoman said: “We’ve put more than £2bn into helping people switch to EVs and have taken the lead in supporting the private sector install chargepoints. “In the first three months of the year, we have seen more than 760 rapid or above speed chargepoints
installed across the UK, up 11 per cent over those months.” Andrew Wescott,
Director of
Sustainability & Regulation at Addison Lee said: “Since starting our transition to electric in 2021, access to reliable charging infra- structure has been, and remains to be, the biggest barrier facing mass EV
adoption. We therefore
welcome plans from the Mayor to install 80 new rapid charging electric points across the city. “However, cost of charging and the inconsistency
of prices also
presents barriers to EV adoption. Government must work
with
charging providers to remove the discrepancies in costs between those who can charge at home and those who rely on the charging network, particularly in cities where home charging is not the norm.”
EXETER TRIAL ROAD CLOSURES DIVIDE OPINION AS CABBIES SAY THEY WEREN’T CONSULTED
The expansion of traffic-calming measures in Exeter has divided opinion. The council has confirmed trial road closures will go ahead in the Heavitree and Whipton areas, with the aim of encouraging people to walk more. Supporters of the low-traffic areas said it would help make the streets safer. However, taxi drivers said they were not consulted and are concerned it could lead to longer and costlier journeys. Councillors on the Exeter Highways Committee approved the £190,000 scheme, which will last for 18 months, on Tuesday 20 June.
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Planters and bollards are being used on residential streets to stop vehicles passing through. Sarah Beare, a resident in Heavitree, said the scheme would help cut down on excessive traffic movements. Cllr Martin Pearce said the area had become a rat run. “There are many streets in that area where there are more than 2,000 vehicle movements a day,” he said. “They’ve been inundated with traffic, using it as a cut through.” Others, however, said the scheme was causing division. One said: “It’s been one of the most divisive issues that I’ve come across since
I’ve lived here really. People are very passionate about it.” Another said: “It’s a great idea in principle but it doesn’t really work, does it? The traffic goes into another street and then that gets blocked.”
Amir Mossadegh, chairman of the St David’s Taxi Association, said road closures would lead to more expensive trips for commuters. “It would be better, before they make such a decision, to consult with the trade,” he said. “We’ve got experience - we know what the consequence of that is going to be.”
JULY 2023 PHTM
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