The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced a new 2030 Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Strategy, with this including plans to use public land for chargepoints.
As it stands, London’s infrastructure accounts for around a third of the UK’s total chargepoints, and represents a 55% increase in the EV chargepoints delivered between 2019 and 2021.
However, new modelling from Transport for London (TfL) estimates that by 2030, London could need 40,000 – 60,000 chargepoints, of which 4,000 would be rapid chargepoints.
Public sector land could accommodate around 1,000 of these rapid chargepoints, with the draft 2030 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy outlining the potential to roll out rapid charging hubs.
Planning, legal and technical due diligence is currently being done to assess ten initial sites, owned by TfL and the boroughs, for their suitability. It is intended that several hubs will come forward for development in 2022.
Last month, TfL opened the Glass Yard rapid charging hub in Woolwich, with the site offering eight chargepoints. A further hub at Baynard House in the City of London is currently under construction.
London’s boroughs will also be encouraged to continue and enhance delivery of residential slow-to-fast chargepoints on their land, with it hoped that the use of Greater London Authority Group and London borough land for EV charging will help improve the balance of infrastructure access across inner and outer London.
“London is ready and willing to play its part in ensuring a strong and green national recovery from this terrible pandemic,” Khan said.
The full 2030 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy is due to be published later this year. The draft can be viewed here.
