A report updating on the changes made to the draft Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy following the completion of a public consultation and seeking the approval of the Committee for the Council to adopt the final version of the strategy.

Further to Minute 6 of the meeting held on 29 June 2023, the Committee considered a report on the changes that had been made to the draft Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) Strategy following the completion of the associated public consultation. The report also sought the Committee’s approval to adopt a final version of the Strategy. A copy of the proposed Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy was attached to the report at Appendix A.

The report stated that that EVCI Strategy would become a sub-strategy to the emerging Local Transport Plan (The Reading Transport Strategy 2040) which aimed to address environmental, air quality, and health and wellbeing issues associated with the Council’s transport choices. The overarching aim of the EVCI Strategy was to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) for necessary travel in Reading doing so within the wider context of the Local Transport Plan and its aspirations to reduce the need to travel by vehicle, reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality and promote sustainable and active travel.

The Strategy set out the background relating to the delivery of EV charging infrastructure and described the future pathway the Council would look to take to support the increased uptake and use of electric vehicles by residents, visitors and local businesses in the town. It included detail on the national policy context relating to EVs, provided a description of existing charging infrastructure in the town, set out the options available to the Council in terms of delivering infrastructure in orderto encourage EV take up (both in terms of the types of charging technology to be installed and the funding options and opportunities available to deliver it) and included a delivery plan that detailed how the Council planned to deliver the necessary charging infrastructure in the short, medium and long term. The Strategy also included references to the charging infrastructure needs of other types of electric vehicles (not just cars), including electric buses, car clubs, e-bikes and e-scooters.

The draft Strategy had been built around five key objectives. The first objective was to build a Reading wide approach, working with residents and stakeholders to facilitate and encourage the increased use of EVs as an alternative to necessary petrol and diesel car trips, the second objective was to deliver a safe, reliable and equitable charging network, the third objective was to seek to provide renewable energy sources for EV charging, the fourth objective was to embrace and deliver innovation that benefited Reading’s residents and the fifth objective was for the Council to lead by example with the electrification of its own fleet.

The report explained that a six-week public consultation on the draft Strategy had taken place between 8 August and 18 September 2023. The Council had received 64 responses, which had included responses from private residents, from local groups such as the Caversham and District Resident’s Association (CADRA) and responses from industry bodies such as the Energy Savings Trust.The key feedback that had been obtained from the consultation exercise was set out in the report. Following an analysis of the consultation responses the draft Strategy document had been updated to reflect the feedback that had been received. The key changes made to the draft Strategy were as follows:

·       Factual updates throughout the document to reflect the latest data relating to growth in EV uptake;

·       Updates to reflect the recent Government announcement that the timescales to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles would change to 2035 from the previous policy of 2030;

·       The objectives of the strategy had been condensed and more closely aligned with the delivery plan;

·       Strengthened statements on social inclusion and the provision of fair and equitable charging rates for on-street residential charging;

·       Updates to reflect feedback on issues relating to considering conservation areas and avoiding removing trees where possible to implement on-street EV charging facilities;

·       Updated considerations for the procurement of charging infrastructure including the need to ensure future proofing, reliability and quality of service had been built into any future procurements;

·       Strengthened statements on the potential for hydrogen powered vehicles, including the challenges of generating truly green hydrogen and the need for hydrogen fuel stations;

·       Updates to reflect the recent change in categorisation of EV charger by speed of charger;

·       Approximate costings for each element of the Strategy had been added to the delivery plan to give an indication of the level of investment required to deliver the strategy.

Resolved –

(1)           That the additions and updates made to the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy in order to reflect the feedback received following the public consultation be noted;

(2)           That the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy, as attached to the report at Appendix A, be approved for adoption.