ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has reiterated its concerns about measures included in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill to force large fuel retailers to provide electric vehicle charging. The Automated and Electric Vehicle Bill had its Second Reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday.
Prior to the debate, ACS outlined its support for the expansion of the Electric Vehicle Charging network but expressed concerns that regulating, through Clause 10 of the Bill, the provision of electric vehicle charging points at ‘large fuel retailers’ and service area operators was not the right approach. ACS has urged the Government to consider incentivising investment in EV charging points at strategic point across the road network rather than an arbitrary definition of ‘large fuel retailer’.
Speaking during the debate, Baroness Sugg, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the Department of Transport, said: “The Bill provides powers to require the installation of public charging points only at motorway service areas and large fuel retailers. The idea behind that is that these strategic locations are particularly important to address anxiety about range for drivers on longer journeys. However, it is clear that we will need many more charging points across the UK in the future… We are looking at charge points being installed at supermarkets, hotels and retail centres. We shall consider adding the wider provision of charge points to the Bill but, as I said, currently the focus is just on the large fuel retailers.”
ACS’ written submission to the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill is available here: https://www.acs.org.uk/lobbying/house-commons-automated-and-electric-vehicles-bill
