Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any lessons from the previous Rapid Charging Fund have informed the design of the new fund; what methodology will be used, as part of the new fund, to assess connection costs within applications; and what timetable has been set for the new fund to open to applicants.

A reliable, accessible public charging network to support electric vehicle drivers on long journeys is essential to support the electric vehicle transition.  The market has changed significantly since the £950 million Rapid Charging Fund was announced in 2020, with over 6,400 open-access, rapid and ultra-rapid charge points within one mile of the Strategic Road Network – more than quadrupling in the last three years (July 2022 – Oct 2025, Zapmap).

We’re adapting our approach to meet the needs of industry today. We are using lessons from the Rapid Charging Fund pilot and continue to work with industry to deliver the right financial support, targeted where it is needed most. For example, improving provision at some motorway service areas where high connection costs have made charging infrastructure rollout uncommercially unviable.

We expect to share more information later this year via a targeted industry consultation.