Impact Assessment – Devon Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy November 2022
Devon County Council (DCC) declared a climate emergency in 2019 and helped to publish the Devon Carbon Plan which sets out what needs to be done for the county area (including Plymouth and Torbay) to respond to the climate emergency. The decarbonisation of transport in Devon is a crucial part of this response as the sector represents a large proportion of Devon’s emissions.
The transition to zero emission vehicles, as well as a shift to public transport and active travel, are vital to achieving the Devon goal of 50% carbon emissions reduction by 2030 and Net Zero by 2050. Nevertheless, many Devon residents rely on cars and vans, and local authorities have a role to play in enabling and accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs). However, a key barrier to the uptake of EVs is the availability of suitable charging infrastructure.
Devon County Council have developed an Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, which aims to help all residents and visitors overcome barriers to EV adoption and increase access to suitable infrastructure. While not everyone may have the means to transition to EVs, the need to encourage greater uptake of EVs forms part of a suite of measures aimed at supporting the decarbonisation of transport including promotion of walking, cycling and increased use of public transport. Together these will deliver a reduction in greenhouse gases and improved air quality, which will benefit everybody living, working or visiting the County. The EV charging strategy provides a summary of EVs in Devon, assesses the policy context and forecasts EV uptake and Electric Vehicle Charge Point (EVCP) demand to 2030. It is sets out recommendations for how Devon County Council will intervene.
The full strategy can be viewed online at: devon.cc/ev-strategy-consultation