Welsh Government wants public electric car charging points every 20 miles on all major A-roads in Wales

Welsh Government wants a public electric vehicle charging point every 20 miles on the strategic route network of Wales by 2025.

The nation currently has 1,000 public charging points.

It works out at one for every six battery electric vehicles – but this reflects the low number of battery cars in Wales, which is partly due to the lack of places to charge.

The Government wants to change this with targets for a major increase in rapid charging sites in the EV Charging Action Plan.

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Targets include a charger every 20 miles on roads like the A55, A470, and A5 by 2025 – with public estate used where needed.

They believe this will help provide one public charge point for every 7 to 11 electric vehicles on the road by 2025, with the actual number of battery powered cars expected to rise significantly over the next four years.

Rapid improvements are already being made with supermarkets and fuel retailers adding them to car parks and and petrol station forecourts.

The Welsh Government Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle Transformation Fund (ULEVTF) will be used to kick-start initiatives and promote collaboration.

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This week Denbighshire council also announced £57,400 grant funding from the UK Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles for fast charging points in eight public car parks across the county.

Deputy Minister for Climate Change, with a responsibility for transport, Lee Waters said: “We need to do more in the next ten years than we’ve done in the last thirty if we’re to reach our NetZero target by 2050.

Welsh Government deputy minister for climate change Lee Waters (Image: Patrick Olner/Welsh Government)

“Changing the car dependency culture that has been created in the past and encouraging more people to use public transport will be key, but for those essential car journeys, making the switch to an electric vehicle is another way we can make a difference.

“The plan I’ve published today sets out the action we will be taking to deliver high quality electric vehicle infrastructure across Wales. Working with the private sector we have ambitious plans in place to increase the number of charging points across the country, so drivers feel confident to make the switch as demand for electric vehicles increases.”

Transport generates around 17% of all carbon emissions in Wales, and Welsh Government has set out a transport strategy, Llwybr Newydd, to shape the transport system in Wales over the next 20 years.

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The next round of ULEV funding will open for bids in December 2021. The fund will help local authorities deliver more than 300 publicly accessible fast and rapid charging points across Wales this financial year.

Meanwhile Denbighshire says procurement of its chargers will take place in the autumn with the intention for them to be installed and operational by Spring 2022.

vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies MP said: “I was very pleased to hear that Denbighshire County Council has successfully gained £57,400 of UK Government funding to provide such a worthwhile project.

“Ensuring public infrastructure for electric cars is a vital step forward for the county, as more an more people consider switch to an electric vehicle.”

Cllr Brian Jones, the Council’s Lead Member for Waste, Transport and the Environment, said: “It is fantastic for the Council to be part of such an important project which plays a vital part within our aim to tackle the climate and ecological emergency.

“Electric vehicles are a big part of our future so this is an important step for the county.”

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