Government Urged To Boost EV Infrastructure On UK’s Roads

Logistics UK, formerly the Freight Transport Association, has stressed the importance of the UK government investing in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and electricity grids across the country to enable commercial operators to move towards lower emission transport options with minimal challenges.

The organisation was responding to reports that the government intends to bring forward the ban on the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans from 2035 to 2030.

Denise Beedell, policy manager for vans and urban at Logistics UK, explained that while many commercial operators are open to, and indeed keen to, switch their fleet to one that produces zero emissions, there needs to be appropriate infrastructure to support them.

“An industry-wide adoption will only be possible if the government takes urgent action to support the reinforcement of power supply infrastructure required to run electric fleets, as well as introducing a fairer and more equitable way of funding grid reinforcements and energy upgrades,” she asserted.

Ms Beedell explained that, at present, any logistics firm that has an insufficient electricity supply to support its current fleet of EVs has to pay to upgrade their local electricity hub themselves, with these costs often exceeding £1 million.

Under the government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, it announced it would be investing £1.3 billion to increase the speed with which EV charging infrastructure is rolled out across the UK.

Support will be targeted towards rapid charging points on motorways and major roads to give drivers the confidence that they can complete long journeys without fear of running out of charge. 

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