Request ID: FOI-1319-2122 Date published: 11 October 2021
You asked
In accordance to the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we would like to request the following information from the TFL:
Has the London City Hall applied for / received funding for electric vehicle charge point infrastructure from the UK Government? If not, why?
What are the barriers you are facing for rolling out electric vehicle charge points across London (ie: funding, insufficient technology, low priority, time constraints, etc)
Are the Council installing electric charging infrastructure exclusively for new developments, or are the council looking into installing electric vehicle charge points for existing on-street parking?
How are on-street charging points managed across London? (Privately, in-house, etc)
We answered
TfL Ref: 1319-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 23 September 2021 asking for information about on-street electric vehicle charge points. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. Your questions and our replies are as follows:
Has the London City Hall applied for / received funding for electric vehicle charge point infrastructure from the UK Government? If not, why?
Following a successful bid from Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and the Greater London Authority, the Government awarded London, via the Go Ultra Low City Scheme (GULCS), a total of £13m in capital funding to drive the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, including the delivery of on-street residential charge points in the period 2015/16 - 2019/20. GULCS is a partnership programme managed by London Councils, TfL and the GLA. More recently, the Government has awarded boroughs funding through the On-Street Residential Charge Point Scheme (ORCS). Both are funded by the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV) to increase electric vehicle use and tackle air pollution and the climate emergency. The funding has provided 75% of the capital costs of delivery with boroughs providing the remaining 25%. With support from London Councils, this has led to London boroughs delivering over 4,700 charge points across the city to date. TfL also committed to installing 300 rapid charge points by the end of 2020 (which was achieved), using £17.8m of funding from OZEV grants which included: National Infrastructure Plan; the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) Taxi Competition; and, a contribution from the GULCS scheme. As of August 2021, Zap-Map recorded that London has more than 7,600 charging points overall, including over 600 rapid charging points accounting for approximately 30 per cent of the UK’s total charge points.
What are the barriers you are facing for rolling out electric vehicle charge points across London (ie: funding, insufficient technology, low priority, time constraints, etc)
Our electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure delivery plan, steered by the Mayor’s EV Infrastructure Taskforce and published in 2019, identified key barriers and enablers for the public and private sectors to work together to ensure London has the right type and amount of charging infrastructure to serve London’s needs to 2025. Overarching barriers were identified in the 2019 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Taskforce Delivery plan (summarised in Table 1). In addition to these, it is clear that additional public support will continue to be needed. EV sales are beginning to accelerate at pace, and this will result in increased demand for EV charging infrastructure. Furthermore, London has implemented strict emissions-based policies that are encouraging Londoners to transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles to zero-emission vehicles more quickly than before. Ongoing funding from Government is needed to help maintain consumer confidence and accelerate the pace at which Londoners are transitioning to zero-emission vehicles.
Are the Council installing electric charging infrastructure exclusively for new developments, or are the council looking into installing electric vehicle charge points for existing on-street parking?
The London Plan 2021 is the spatial development strategy for Greater London. It sets out a framework for how London will develop over the next 20-25 years and the Mayor’s vision for Good Growth. The Plan is part of the statutory development plan for London, meaning that the policies in the Plan should inform decisions on planning applications across the capital. The plan sets out the requirements for all new developments with car parking provision to install infrastructure for electric and other Ultra-Low Emission vehicles. The specification for charging in new residential developments is that at least 20 per cent of spaces should have active charging facilities, with passive provision for all remaining spaces.
Where car parking is provided at retail and office developments, provision for rapid electric vehicle charging should also be made in accordance to the London Plan. Furthermore, the UK Government recently announced plans to legislate nationally that all new home construction will include EV charging installations. New office buildings are also included: they will need to provide charging infrastructure per every five parking spaces, and, the government wants it to be ‘smart’. Smart charging refers to the automation of charging points which allows chargers to communicate with a vehicle and the electricity grid to shift charging, as set by the consumer, to a different time of day, such as overnight when there is lower demand on the electricity system, or to times of high renewable energy generation.London boroughs manage 95% of London’s roads. Processes are in place for residents who do not have access to off-street parking to suggest that an on-street electric vehicle charge point is delivered near to their homes, on roads boroughs manage. Where funding is available (for example from Government via the Go Ultra Low Cities Scheme or the On Street Residential Charge Points scheme, or from its own funds), the borough may be able to install an on-street charge point. For further details, of individual borough processes for requesting an electric vehicle charge point please see the London Councils webpage.
How are on-street charging points managed across London? (Privately, in-house, etc)
Charge point operators, who provide the infrastructure unit, manage the physical assets and electricity feeder pillars to units. For some of the rapids delivered by Transport for London, we manage the signing, line marking, bollards, road conditions and the general management of the contracts awarded to charge point operators that set specific standards around providing data on utilisation, price caps, maintenance standards etc.
London Boroughs undertake this role for borough delivered infrastructure on their land, which is around 4,700 slow-to-fast charge points in London to date. However, it is worth bearing in mind that a variety of different delivery models exist and operate, where the necessary roles may be undertaken and/or funded by public or private sector.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Sara Thomas FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
