Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of electric vehicle charging points at motorway service stations being unreliable; and what steps they intend to take (1) to ensure wide availability of EU standard combined charging system points, and (2) to encourage all suppliers to provide charging points which all types of electric vehicle can use.

Chargepoints at motorway service areas are provided under private commercial arrangements which the Government is not party to. It is vital drivers can rely on public chargepoints being in service. The Department is therefore concerned to hear reports of this not being the case, and has raised concerns with the service providers.

The Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018 included enabling powers which allow the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring large fuel retailers and service area operators to provide public charging points and to ensure that public charging points are maintained and easily accessible to the public.

The Government has already taken steps through the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulations to ensure that all public rapid chargepoints have a Combined Charging System connector, and all public slow or fast chargepoints have a Type 2 connector.