Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government why there is a delay in connecting already installed electric vehicle chargepoints in motorway service areas to an appropriate power supply.

Around 97% of motorway service areas in England have charging available today. The Government has been working with distribution network operators and industry to ensure that once chargepoints are installed they are energised as soon as possible for the public to use. This includes supporting Ofgem’s Green Recovery Scheme, which will reinforce the electricity network at around 50 motorway service areas in England. The Government is also working with National Highways to provide battery storage at selected sites where the current electricity network capacity is limited, which will enable increased chargepoint provision.

At fixed strategic locations, such as motorway service areas, the cost of connecting to the electricity network can be high and variable. Therefore, where is it uncommercially viable for industry, the Rapid Charging Fund will part-fund future-proof electrical capacity to prepare the network for a fully electric car and van fleet.