I am after information relating to On-Street Residential Charging for electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). On-Street Residential Charging or Chargepoints are classified as on-street chargepoints in residential streets where off-street parking is not available.
In particular, I am after the following information:
1. How many public charging outlets or chargepoints for electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles have you installed to date in your local authority? Please provide figures to the nearest possible date and include the month and the year the figures correspond to.
Devon County Council (DCC) have been delivering electric vehicle chargepoints in carparks through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) part funded ‘DELETTI’ project. The project has awarded contracts for chargepoints at approximately 100 car parks across Devon, Torbay, and South Somerset. 65 of the car parks are in Devon (excluding Torbay), typically installing a single dual socket chargepoint per site. Approximately 25 of these will be ‘rapid’ chargepoints and the remainder 22kw ‘fast’ chargepoints. ‘Passive provision’ in the form of the grid connection has also been installed to allow the suppliers to increase the number of chargepoints at each site if there is sufficient demand. Contracts were awarded in
2021/22 and sites started to be installed in 2022/23 and will continue to 2023/24. The number of sites delivered is below.
FY22/23: 22 chargepoints
FY23/24 forecast: 43 chargepoints
The private sector led and funded “Rapid Charging Devon” project is also installing chargepoints across Devon on-street and in car parks. Delivery is ongoing with around 10-15 on-street currently live and more to follow this financial year.
2. For Question 1, how many of the public charging outlets or chargepoints are those classed as On-Street Residential Chargepoints, located on-street in residential streets or areas?
There are around 10-15 on-street chargepoints delivered as part of the Rapid Charging Devon project, and a number of chargepoints delivered as part of the DELETTI project that are in car parks, but serve surrounding households dependent on on-street parking. Note, the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) definition of “On-Street Residential Chargepoints” does not include rapid chargepoints, but does include lower powered chargepoints in car parks that serve residents.
3. How many public charging outlets or chargepoints for electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles do you plan to install in the current fiscal year or the current calendar year? Please provide figures to whichever timeframe corresponds with your reporting.
FY23/24 forecast 43 chargepoints as part of the DELETTI project. DCC has also recently been allocated £7m capital funding by central government to install predominately low powered chargepoints serving residents, so we expect this number will significantly increase in future years.
4. For Question 3, how many of the planned public charging outlets or charegpoints are classed as On-Street Residential Chargepoints, to be installed in on-street residential areas?
27 of the DELETTI sites in car parks definitely qualify for the On-Street Residential Chargepoints scheme criteria. We have not assessed the others, but the majority of them would likely meet the criteria too.
5. Do you have a published strategy for On-Street Residential charging infrastructure? Yes/no
Yes. DCC’s draft EV Charging Strategy for consultation was published at the start of this year and is available online here: Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy
6. Do you have a dedicated Policy Officer (or equivalent) responsible for your electric vehicle charging infrastructure? Yes / No
No, at present responsibility for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure is spread across a number of roles. However, the LEVI capability fund allocation will enable DCC to recruit specialist EV officer(s) in future.
7. Has your local authority submitted an application or multiple applications for the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS)?
DCC submitted a successful ORCS application in 2021. DCC’s procurement for the ORCS charegpoints sought to maximise best value for the public sector and leverage private sector funding. The successful bidder is fully funding the installation of the chargepoints and so no ORCS funding was required.
8. If yes to Question7, how much funding has the local authority applied for in total? The figures can include funding yet to be received.
£253,500 was successfully applied for, but none will be used. Re-allocating the money for other chargepoint projects in Devon was explored with OZEV, but ultimately not possible.