Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points installed in (a) small towns and (b) rural communities; and whether she plans to take steps to ensure they are evenly distributed beyond major cities.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. As of February 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 74,334 publicly available charging devices, up 35% on this time last year. There was particularly strong growth in rural areas last year, with chargepoint numbers increasing by 45% in 2024.
The £381m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund will support the installation of at least 100,000 local chargepoints across the country. LEVI funding allocations factored in the proportion of residents that are in rural areas. This meant local authorities in rural areas were allocated additional funding compared to urban ones.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) assessments and (b) consultations her Department undertakes when determining locations for the installation of electric vehicle charging points.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not determine the locations at which electric vehicle chargepoints are installed. For those in public areas, local authorities are best placed to understand what charging infrastructure is needed and have a key role in planning and enabling the delivery of chargepoints, with particular focus on supporting those who do not have access to off-street parking. The £381m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) fund includes capability (resource) funding for local authorities to secure dedicated in-house expertise to plan, procure and deliver local chargepoints.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to encourage consumers to purchase second-hand electric vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government works closely with the automotive industry to monitor the health of the second-hand electric vehicle (EV) market and improve consumer information about EVs and charging infrastructure.
The battery forms a large part of an EV’s value, providing information about battery health will therefore help consumers make informed decisions about second-hand EVs. The Government has worked with international partners at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to develop Global Technical Regulation No. 22. This requires EV manufacturers to provide easily accessible, accurate, and comparable information on the battery’s state of health. The Government is currently analysing options for the implementation of this regulation in the UK.
Asked by: Cameron Thomas (Liberal Democrat - Tewkesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve transport infrastructure in Gloucestershire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government recognises that dynamic transport infrastructure like the new Arle Court Transport Hub in Cheltenham is essential for helping people go about their daily lives. We have already awarded Gloucestershire nearly £4.2m capital funding for bus service improvements in 2025/26 and will make further funding announcements later this year.