Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support he is giving to councils to encourage them to apply for electric vehicle charging infrastructure funding.

Local authorities can take advantage of the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS), which assists them with the cost of installing chargepoints on residential streets. The Government’s On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme has so far supported over 90 local authorities to fund more than 3,300 chargepoints for residents who do not have off-street parking.

The Scheme is administered on the Department’s behalf by the Energy Saving Trust, who offer expert advice and support to local authorities throughout the application process. The Energy Saving Trust, in partnership with the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, also hosts a library of webinars and guidance documents focussing on the challenges that authorities face when installing charging infrastructure, while promoting the available funding.

Local authorities in England can also take advantage of the Energy Saving Trust’s Local Government Support Programme, fully funded by the Department, which offers support to help authorities develop and deliver mobility strategies and programmes to increase adoption of ultra-low emission vehicles. This includes support with the roll out of charging infrastructure through applying for ORCS funding.

The Workplace Charging Scheme offers up to £350 off the installation of charging sockets at workplaces for staff and fleets. Local authorities and the wider public sector can claim up to 40 charging sockets each.