The Government’s New Policy Paper: The Plan for Drivers
Towards the end of last year, the UK government released a new policy paper: ‘The Plan for Drivers’. The document contained many measures to protect drivers from ‘over-zealous’ traffic enforcement measures. These include reviewing 20mph speed limits, a new National Parking Platform, and making electric vehicle (EV) ownership more practical for many with cross-pavement charging solutions.
The Charge Gully team and the broader electric vehicle industry welcomed this and look forward to seeing the changes and improvements implemented in the coming months and beyond.
Let’s look at the critical points from the Plan for Drivers that impact electric vehicles and chargepoints.
Grants for cross-pavement solutions
The Plan for Drivers states that it will widen the eligibility of EV chargepoint grants to include cross-pavement solutions in order to make EV ownership a more practical option for those without off-street parking. Proper guidance on cross-pavement solutions like Charge Gully will be provided to drivers and local authorities.
This measure will apply UK-wide and will be incredibly welcome for those who have previously been put off purchasing an EV due to the need for a driveway to park the vehicle while charging.
Permitted development rights
The paper also says that it will consult on expanding permitted development rights to make private chargepoint installation cheaper and more accessible. Planning permission is currently required to install chargepoints and associated infrastructure for properties with on-street parking and other private charging scenarios.
More accessible installation of chargepoints will make EVs attractive to more people and help increase the number of EVs on the roads, which will help to decrease people’s carbon footprint and, in turn, help the government reach their carbon net-zero targets.
Provide guidance on the use of cross-pavement solutions
The government recognises that many households could access cheaper and more convenient charging solutions by running charging cables from their property to their EV; however, this can cause issues and negatively impact other pavement users and, in some cases, can breach the Highways Act 1980.
To overcome this, the government will seek to guide the use of safe cross-pavement solutions, such as Charge Gully. They will also provide information on best practices to local authorities on relevant legislation, permissions and how to consider applications.
Moving forward
Overall, The Plan for Drivers paper is very positive and shows that the UK government is making EVs more accessible and suitable for all. By making cross-pavement charging solutions like Charge Gully easier, more affordable, and more accessible, more households can purchase EVs, save money, cut their carbon footprint, and contribute to lowering emissions throughout the country.
If you require further information, please get in touch. We would love to chat about the Charge Gully and how it will work for your needs.
