Fresh demands for a sharp
increase in the number of electric vehicles charging points
across Wales have been made today by the Welsh Liberal
Democrats.
The Party wants the next Welsh Government to make a significant
step forward and ensure that no community is without access to an
EV charging point by 2025 ahead of the ban on new petrol car
sales due in 2030.
Analysis of figures by the Welsh Liberal Democrats has shown that
Wales is already behind the rest of the UK and risks falling
further behind unless the Welsh Government and local authorities
act.
Wales has only 3.3% of the UK’s charging points, significantly
behind London and the south-east who have between them have 39.6%
of the UK’s share.
Of points installed in the last year London and the south-east
received 45% of new charger capacity whilst Wales has received
around 12%.
Over 1.8million people living across nine council areas in South
Wales have access to fewer than 100 charging sites, with large
parts of the South Wales Valleys being completely isolated.
Welsh Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Rodney
Berman said:
“Wales has been dragging its feet on this issue. We know that
over the next few years there will be significantly more interest
in electric vehicles ahead of the ban on new petrol cars in 2030.
“Unless Wales acts now, we will be storing up problems for the
future. People across the rest of the UK are switching to
electric vehicles, but for people in Wales to feel confident to
make this switch we need urgent action to increase the number of
charging points particularly for people who don’t have access to
off-street parking.
“I want the Welsh Government over the next five years to ensure
there is an ample network of public charging points across Wales
so that the public are ready and feel confident enough to make
the switch to electric vehicles.
“If we are to truly embrace the electric car revolution people
need to have confidence that there are enough charging points
available to them.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Zap map can be found online.
- Zap map lists some places twice (Sarn Park Services for
example), so these have been excluded from the calculations.
- The nine council areas in the calculations are Blaenau Gwent,
Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot,
Newport, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea, Torfaen and The Vale of
Glamorgan which have a combined population of 1,828,058 according
to 2019 ONS
projections.
