Written evidence submitted by Healthy Air Coalition (EVS0004)

The Healthy Air Coalition 

The Healthy Air Coalition represents 30 leading organisations across the health, environment, and transport sectors, including Asthma + Lung UK, the British Heart Foundation, Campaign for Better Transport, Cycling UK, Green Alliance, and Sustrans. We work together with a shared vision of a UK free from toxic air and are committed to raising awareness of the health, societal and economic consequences of air pollution.

We are submitting written evidence to highlight the vital role of electric vehicles and the corresponding charging infrastructure in reducing air pollution and protecting public health. Transitioning to electric vehicles is critical to achieving the UK’s decarbonisation targets and tackling the health impacts of toxic air. The charging infrastructure must be fit for purpose, equitably distributed, and accessible to all in the UK. Addressing the gaps in the distribution of publicly available charging points requires targeted support for local authorities, improved accessibility for disabled people, and measurable goals to ensure new infrastructure aligns with the UK’s Net Zero agenda.

Written evidence

If the Department has a strategy to address the geographical disparities in the availability of EV charging points;

The Department for Transport’s strategic Taking Charge, published in March 2022 outlined a plan to ensure that electric vehicle charging infrastructure is evenly distributed across the UK. A key focus of the plan was the importance of equitable access to charging points particularly in rural and underserved areas. The strategy was complemented by a report from the Geospatial Commission which demonstrated how geospatial data could be used to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle charging points across the UK.

The Healthy Air Coalition welcomes both these documents and has been pleased to see the progress made to increase the uptake in electric vehicles and the number of charging points. Since the strategy was published, the number of publicly available charging devices has more than doubled, rising from 29,583 in March 2022 to 72,271 charging devices in December 2024[1]. It is worth noting that 19,834 charging points were added to the UK public network in 2024, this marks a 19% increase compared with 2023.

Despite these advances, significant geographical disparities remain in the distribution of publicly available charging points. The following disparities should be addressed to ensure the distribution of charging points is equitable:

• National disparities: 86% of all publicly available charging points in the UK in England, marking a 1% increase from 2022 (when the strategy was published). Northern Ireland remains notably underserved by electric vehicle charging points with a total of 545 charging points, equating to 28.6 devices per 100,000 people, compared to 92.6 per 100,000 for Scotland and 89 per 100,000 across the UK as a whole[2].
• Regional disparities: Within England, charging points are disproportionately concentrated in London with 37.7% of all charging points in Greater London. Regions like the North East, the East Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber hold a proportionately small share of charging points, with only 5.4% in the North East, 5.5% in the East Midlands and 5.6% in Yorkshire.
• North-South divide: The South East has nearly double the number of publicly available charging points compared to the North West, exacerbating regional inequalities.

While progress has been made, these disparities are undermining the UK’s transition to electric vehicles. Addressing these gaps will require targeted investment and coordination, ensuring that underserved regions are prioritised in future rollout efforts. Fair access to charging infrastructure is crucial to ensuring a fair transition to greener forms of transport and cleaner air for all no matter where they live.

The evidence shows that people from lower socio-economic backgrounds are already disproportionately exposed to higher levels of air pollution compared with people from higher socio-economic backgrounds. More deprived communities should have access to affordable and reliable charge points, which in turn will help drive the take up of electric vehicles in poorer areas. Without plans in place to address these inequalities, we risk further entrenching existing health disparities associated with unequal exposure to air pollution.

If sufficient funds are available to support local authorities to install public charging stations (and)

The rollout of electric vehicle charging points is dependent on the level of resource and funding allocated to local authorities. While the strategy includes financial support mechanisms, local authorities, especially those in underserved areas, often report challenges in securing funding for EV infrastructure projects. Smaller local authorities, particularly in rural or less affluent areas, may lack the staffing or expertise needed to apply for grants, manage EV infrastructure projects, or attract private investment. Regional disparities between areas like London and the North East suggest that some local authorities might be struggling to access the necessary funding to match demand or address specific challenges in their areas.

The National Audit Office in its report, Public chargepoints for electric vehicles[3] noted that local authorities may need further government support to ensure they can meet the targets set by the government. According to the report, many local authorities that have secured funding via the Department for Transport’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund reported delays which may impact the deliverability of the agreed projects[4]. Local authorities report issues including a lack of resource, practical issues with sites and challenges in securing planning permissions. The Healthy Air Coalition welcomes proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework that aim to accelerate and simplify the planning process and we hope that funding streams and projects are lined up to ensure all local authorities are supported to roll out adequate charging infrastructure to meet the increasing demand for electric vehicles.

The government should provide improved support for local authorities through increased levels of dedicated funding and better guidance. A UK100 report highlighted that the current structure of grant funding, which relies on competitive bidding, may make reaching our commitments under Net Zero challenging[5]. Rounds of competitive bidding are resource intensive and create difficulties for local authorities. Simplifying the grant application processes will also be essential to help local authorities achieve the goals set out in the Department for Transport’s strategy.
 

The accessibility of public charging infrastructure

The majority of public charging points are installed and maintained by private charging point operators. However, many of the charging points fail to be adapted to the needs of disabled users. Research by Vauxhall, using data from 223 councils in England, revealed that only 2.3% of on-street charging devices are adapted for the 12 million disabled people in the UK[6].

In 2022, Motability worked with the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) to commission a standard from the British Standards Institution (BSI) around the accessibility of electric vehicle charging points[7]. According to Vauxhall, only 238 on-street chargers logged by councils meet the standard developed by the BSI on accessible EV charging for those with accessibility needs. Additionally, none of the accessible on-street charging points were located in London despite the capital having 60% of the country’s on-street chargers.

With over a third of all electric vehicle charging devices street devices, local authorities must do more to ensure that all charging points meet accessibility standards and address barriers faced by disabled users.

Research carried out by Motability highlights key challenges faced by disabled people, including[8]:

• The weight of charging cables,
• The force required to attach the connector,
• The lack of dropped kerbs near charging points, and
• Unsuitable parking arrangements

The government’s strategy clearly stated that charging point design and placement should ‘meet accessibility standards and guidance’. The Healthy Air Coalition would welcome further collaboration between the government and local authorities to ensure that accessibility is systematically part of the design process of all new charging points.

Additionally, a UK-wide audit should be conducted to identify non-accessible charging points and any possible barriers responsible for the lack of accessibility. Specific, measurable targets for the equitable distribution of accessible charging points must be developed, alongside enhanced government and local authority cooperation to ensure targets are met.

January 2025