Torfaen Council Response to EV Chargers

[TheEd]

Many thanks for your enquiry Stuart

Unfortunately you have hit upon one of the major issues we have in the UK with the ability to be able to charge electric vehicles near to home.

There are currently no plans to provide 'on-street' charging points. At present we are still working on the installation of public charging points across the borough, currently we have them in 7 locations and have just submitted a list of a further 12 locations to Cardiff City Region for assessment - just to explain the current project to install public chargers on Council owned land is being run by Cardiff City Region and covers 10 Local Authorities across South Wales. Included on the list were the car-parks in Pontnewydd, the Boating lake, Greenmeadow Farm and Cwmbran Stadium.

In terms of the ability to install chargers running from your own house to your vehicle:
Torfaen County Borough Council (and as far as we know all Local Authorities in Wales) are continuing to follow the Highways Act, which does not allow any trailing cables (even if they are under a cable protector) across public footpaths/the highway. We believe that some authorities in England currently have a slightly different approach.
In terms of a 'dumb gulley' to run a cable through a pavement that would have to be controlled by Torfaen County Borough Council, as any footpath is our responsibility. I have discussed this possibility previously with Highways but they are currently awaiting the outcome of the report/other alternatives being investigated across the UK.

The Welsh Government have commissioning a company to look at some of the issues preventing ‘on-street’ electric vehicle charging and we are expecting a report in the next couple of months.

We’ll try to keep you up to date with any progress, also keep an eye on the Torfaen County Borough Council website as I think it needs some information / clarity regarding this particular issue and would be a good place for us to provide any updates should there be any change in legislation/guidance.

The good news is that we are about to advertise for a Net Zero Emissions Transport Officer, whose role will include developing EV charging guidance for residents and assisting the deployment of residential charging infrastructure.

Sorry all of that probably doesn't help you in the short-term, however we regularly feed back to the Welsh Government on this issue and the more requests we receive the better the chance of a change in legislation/increased support to resolve it.

Kind Regards

 

[smoked]

I had a similar reply from Lancashire council. Apparently they have a few trials running with regards to on street charging and those results should they be approved could roll out to terraced housing.

they were open to installing a charge point outside my house however it would be a public charge point and i'd lose parking outside the house. but this was due to the unique spot where i live - there's a pavement that blocks half the road and a lamp post near the parking spot

 

[TheEd]

It looks as though other councils are waiting to see what happens before they go ahead with the expenditure

 

[Ozzie1989]

Many thanks for your enquiry Stuart

Unfortunately you have hit upon one of the major issues we have in the UK with the ability to be able to charge electric vehicles near to home.

There are currently no plans to provide 'on-street' charging points. At present we are still working on the installation of public charging points across the borough, currently we have them in 7 locations and have just submitted a list of a further 12 locations to Cardiff City Region for assessment - just to explain the current project to install public chargers on Council owned land is being run by Cardiff City Region and covers 10 Local Authorities across South Wales. Included on the list were the car-parks in Pontnewydd, the Boating lake, Greenmeadow Farm and Cwmbran Stadium.

In terms of the ability to install chargers running from your own house to your vehicle:
Torfaen County Borough Council (and as far as we know all Local Authorities in Wales) are continuing to follow the Highways Act, which does not allow any trailing cables (even if they are under a cable protector) across public footpaths/the highway. We believe that some authorities in England currently have a slightly different approach.
In terms of a 'dumb gulley' to run a cable through a pavement that would have to be controlled by Torfaen County Borough Council, as any footpath is our responsibility. I have discussed this possibility previously with Highways but they are currently awaiting the outcome of the report/other alternatives being investigated across the UK.

The Welsh Government have commissioning a company to look at some of the issues preventing ‘on-street’ electric vehicle charging and we are expecting a report in the next couple of months.

We’ll try to keep you up to date with any progress, also keep an eye on the Torfaen County Borough Council website as I think it needs some information / clarity regarding this particular issue and would be a good place for us to provide any updates should there be any change in legislation/guidance.

The good news is that we are about to advertise for a Net Zero Emissions Transport Officer, whose role will include developing EV charging guidance for residents and assisting the deployment of residential charging infrastructure.

Sorry all of that probably doesn't help you in the short-term, however we regularly feed back to the Welsh Government on this issue and the more requests we receive the better the chance of a change in legislation/increased support to resolve it.

Kind Regards

Quite impressed with the level of detail in that feedback to be honest.

FYI this would be better in the General section as it's not ZS specific ??

 

[TheEd]

Quite impressed with the level of detail in that feedback to be honest.

FYI this would be better in the General section as it's not ZS specific ??

@admin, can this thread be moved?
@Ozzie1989 good point, well spotted

 

[Lovemyev]

A good detailed reply but as normal, it high lights what they can't do and very little on what they should have done before this point in time..
Just now thinking about employing somebody into the role - dear me !.
I would just love to know, how much all local councils spend on commissioning people to conduct studies and reports on their behalf.
And then reject 95% of the proposals.
As normal they quote the Highways Act, which does not allow any trailing cables (even if they are under a cable protector) across public footpaths/the highway.
So, our hands are firmly behind our backs.
Well, why are then not working together with these people to update this out dated act.
Electric cars where not even a thing, when this act was written and clearly needs updating.
Surely this outdated act effects many part of the UK and not just at a local council level.
Wales is still WAY behind in it's efforts to adopt and encourage EV motoring.
Well at least the closing statement, does display their own failings in this whole initiative.
"Sorry all of that probably doesn't help you in the short-term".
There is no "probably" about it !.
No shortage of words, only action.

 

[gus]

Luckily I don’t have the issue as I have off street parking but locally they are trying out solutions to resolve the issue such as On street EV charging Gul-e solution gul-e