It is all very well for the Westminster government to make sweeping decisions but they clearly do not have the capacity to think through the consequences. Banning the production of internal combustion vehicles is all very well, but all-electric vehicles are limited by the availability of charging points, and in particular rapid chargers. The Johnson government has provided no overall strategy, instead leaving it to local authorities in England to arrange the facilities. The result is piecemeal and unsatisfactory implementation as shown in this Liberal Democrat release.
The overall picture is summed up by Rob Hastings in the i last week;
There are now around 25,000 public charging devices available in the UK. But that number will need to be installed every year for the next 14 years if we are to hit the 480,000 devices and two million power leads that it is estimated we will need by 2035. That is on top of the 19 million home charge points needed, according to the energy regulator Ofgem.
The Welsh government has been more strategic, setting up its Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle Transformation Fund and last month publishing a plan to provide charging points at appropriate intervals along our key highways. The scheme needs to attract private-sector money to succeed, but at least it demonstrates forethought.
Now another limiting factor has come to the fore: the shortage of qualified mechanics to service electric vehicles. The outlets which sell the vehicles do not necessarily have the ability to maintain them. A recent TV news broadcast highlighted the case of a man who bought an electric car in Llandudno Junction but has to drive to Chester for its regular servicing. Will UK transport minister Grant Shapps rise to the challenge? Is this another area where Wales will show the way?
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