Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps is he taking to ensure a uniform method for electric car drivers to access public charging points.

Our vision is to have one of the best electric vehicle infrastructure networks in the world. This means current and prospective electric vehicle drivers are able to easily locate and access charging infrastructure that is affordable, reliable and secure. A better consumer experience of using public chargepoints is central to this vision. The Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulations requires that all public chargepoints provide ad-hoc access which means EV drivers can charge at any chargepoint without having to enter into a contract with an infrastructure operator nor be in the possession of multiple RFID cards. The Automated and Electric Vehicles Act goes further by providing the government with a range of powers to improve the charging experience for current and future including the powers to specify a uniform method of payment. The Government continues to monitor market developments closely. If the market fails to continue to deliver further improvements across the entire network or takes too long, the Government is prepared to intervene using the powers in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act to ensure a good deal for consumers.