London boroughs to add 1,500 electric vehicle charging points

The Greater London Authority (GLA) and Transport for London (TfL) have allocated £4.5m to 25 London boroughs to roll-out 1,500 new charging points for electric vehicles (EVs) across the capital.


Each borough will receive up to £300,000 to install the combined 1,500 charge points, which will increase access to on-street charging in residential areas, making it easier for potential EV owners without access to off-street parking.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “This substantial investment in electric charging points will make a real difference, making electric vehicles an easier and more practical option for Londoners across our city. We have a bold ambition to make London’s transport system zero emission by 2050, and working with boroughs to roll out more charging infrastructure is a vital part of making this a reality.”

TfL confirmed that an additional network of rapid charge points will also be installed by the end of 2020. London’s charging infrastructure had previously been described by Uber as “woefully inadequate”.

The allocated funds are part of an award that London received from the Government’s Office for Low Emissions Vehicles’ Go Ultra Low City scheme, which has also issued funds for Milton Keynes.

TfL claims that the London fund will support innovative new approaches, such as using lampposts as charging stations. Streetlights connected to electricity networks in Kensington and Chelsea are already acting as charge points for EVs.

Diesel scrappage

Announced off the back of the long-awaited Air Quality Plan, which includes a ban on all new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040, the new funding is just the start for London’s low-carbon transport transformation.

Khan, who is aiming to make all Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) zero-emission capable by 2033, has called on the Government to introduce a diesel scrappage scheme to help consumers with the new diesel ban.

“We need to be more ambitious in tackling emissions at all levels of Government,” Khan added. “That’s why I’m calling on Ministers not only to introduce a fully-funded diesel scrappage fund to get polluting vehicles off our streets immediately, but they must also step up their investment in charging infrastructure to ensure every Londoner can look at moving to EVs over the coming years.”

Research from Nissan, one of the leaders of the EV transition, estimates that there will be more EV charging stations than petrol stations in the UK within four years.

Matt Mace

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