Draft of speech by Antoinette Sandbach MP to be delivered during today's debate on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans

Last month this House unanimously agreed to set a target to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. There was concern in some sections of the press that this decision was made ‘on the nod’ without giving sufficient thought as to how it would be delivered, or to the economic consequences. 

I hope that this debate will show how wrong that concern is. There is not only a political awareness of the steps necessary to deliver our commitment, but also the political will to take those steps, even if they require difficult decisions. 

One of those difficult decisions that we must take is to bring forward the date by which the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will end. This is something supported by the Committee on Climate Change, which says that the date should be brought forward to 2030, or 2035 at the latest. The BEIS Committee split the difference between these two by calling for the date to be set at 2032. 

I note that in addition to our call, four other committees have made similar requests citing the impact on health and air quality as well as the environment and the need to support low carbon industries. I also have to say I’m delighted that the Conservative Environment Network have joined these calls, asking for a 2035 target. 

The price of EVs is expected to reach parity with internal combustion engine powered cars by the mid 2020s, not some far flung date in the future – but in just a couple of years. A little further down the line, in the 2030s, EVs are expected to overtake petrol and diesel sales. 

There are now more EV charging locations in the UK than petrol stations, however despite this milestone the network is not fit for purpose and poor provision of charging infrastructure is one of the main barriers to the growth of the market. 

Despite this growth, last year’s report by the BEIS Select Committee found in my region that there were just 244 publicly funded charging points, equating to nearly 29,000 people per charge point. While this is substantially better than over the border in Wales, where there are 98,806 people per charge point, it pales in comparison to the North East, which has got the ratio below 4,000 people per charge point. 

These three regions, which reach across the UK, demonstrate that there is a serious risk that access to sufficient charging points can become a postcode lottery, with someone from Newcastle standing a far better chance of being able to charge their EV than someone from Newport, Newquay, or Knutsford. 

A visible and extensive network of ultrafast chargers isn’t just good for existing EV owners. Our committee heard evidence that “the principle reason people are put off buying an EV, is no longer range anxiety, but the lack of a viable national/urban Rapid Charger infrastructure.”

In addition to this we need to think more carefully about how to standardise this infrastructure. If we are to develop an EV network which mirrors the advantages of petrol cars, we need to ensure that EVs and charging points are all interoperable. This doesn’t just mean that charging points need to charge all EVs, but that data and information sharing be standard as well. 

I recognise that the passage of the Automated and Electric Vehicle Act has given the government the power to take the necessary steps, but as the report states, it will require full use of the powers in the act to deliver this kind of network. 

That is why I am troubled that the Government have handed over responsibility to develop this vital national infrastructure to local authorities. This wouldn’t happen with HS2 or Crossrail. Local authorities have demonstrated that they have a big role to play in this project but why do we expect them to deliver this vital network with limited government support and oversight?

I welcome the Government accepting our recommendation to set planning guidance on the number of charge points installed in new buildings, which will help Local Authorities, but needs to recognise its responsibilities and take a lead on coordinating the financial and technical support needed for councils to build charging infrastructure. To fail to do this imperils the future of the entire EV sector. 

In fact only yesterday I received an email from a constituent about just this issue, he rightly pointed out that “Given the importance of changing to electric cars in line with the Government’s climate change policy, I am amazed that building regulations only required the installation of a 16amp consumer unit in our detached garage which was built with our house only 18 months ago. This is insufficient to power a 7kw charger which requires a 32amp supply. As from July 1, in order to meet OLEV’s grant requirements a minimum of a 7kw charger must be installed - a 3.6kw/16amp charger is not longer allowed. Given the huge cost involved in increasing the amperage of a consumer box - I.e. cabling & trenching etc. - this may well prove to be a deterrent to purchasing an electric car.”

Unless our regulations are forward thinking and focused on the future, we risk each generation of EV adopters being left behind in just a matter of years, which would fracture the userbase and deter new entrants.

This is doubly true in rural areas like my constituency. All too often the latest and greatest technology has been rolled out into cities, from Uber to Deliveroo, only for my constituents to look on enviously as we wait for the twice daily diesel bus. 

I laid out some concerns about how the green revolution might leave rural communities behind in a book, Britain Beyond Brexit edited by my Hon Friend the Member for Mid Norfolk, but I’d also strongly support Ministers should they adopt the CEN recommendation of a right to request an EV charge point. This would give rural communities the chance to show there is the demand necessary to make one viable.  

While our report looked carefully at rolling out charging points to motorway service stations in rural areas, so those travelling through can benefit from extended EV range, I would also be grateful if ministers could focus more heavily on how to build EV infrastructure for those who live and work in rural areas, rather than just those who travel through them between big cities. After all it will not be possible to decarbonise our country unless we decarbonise our countryside. 

On this matter, frankly I don’t think the Government’s response to this recommendation in our Committee’s report is sufficient and I hope that the Minister can offer me some detailed reassurance that rural communities like mine will not be left behind again. 

However, if we can decarbonise our transport sector, the prize on offer is substantial. Not only would we meet our climate change targets, but we would also see improvements in health and air quality, while supporting the British car industry which is a jewel in our manufacturing crown. 

What is more, EVs are an enabling technology which will power future developments in automation, self driving cars and even the sharing economy – as people may find themselves increasingly renting rather than owning cars. 

A high tech, clean future is possible, but unless ministers get a grip they risk being left behind as the rest of the world rushes to embrace this technology, and our world leading position is squandered by a lack of coordination.