Installation of Electric vehicle charge points (EVCPs) EqIA

 Aims of the strategy

This is a project to improve the public network of electric vehicle charge points in the Dorset Council area for use by staff, residents and visitors;  to encourage electric vehicle ownership and to meet future needs which is anticipated to grow as electric vehicle car ownership increases.

A phased approach is being taken starting with the installation of EVCPs in some of Dorset Council owned public facing car parks. Further phases will focus on on-street EVCPs and other locations.

Intended outcomes:

• make the use of electric vehicles in Dorset easier and more practical with more charging points available
• increase electric vehicle ownership in Dorset
• reduce carbon emissions to help address the climate emergency
• improve air quality - linked to public health benefits
• address national and local expectations regarding electric vehicle ownership

Context to the proposal

In May 2019 Dorset Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in response to the global threat posed by climate change and recognition that Dorset Council has a responsibility to play its part in helping tackle this global problem while we still have time to make a difference. 

Due to a dependency on fossil fuels the transport sector is a major contributor of carbon emissions (CO2). Transport is the single biggest contributor to our carbon footprint.  In 2017 transport was responsible for 44 percent of CO2 emissions (an estimated 765 kilotons of CO2e) in Dorset. To reach zero carbon, fossil fuel use in the transport sector will need to be eliminated. 

Part of the overall solution is switching vehicles that use low carbon fuels or energy sources.  In 2019 only 0.5 percent (1,313 vehicles) of all cars and light goods vehicles registered in the Dorset Council area were Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs).  Making all 280,000 vehicles registered in Dorset zero carbon emissions is a big challenge.  

Electric has become the leading ultra-low carbon vehicle technology for passenger cars and light goods vehicles. To support the move to electric vehicles in both the Dorset Council fleet and amongst residents, businesses and visitors there will need to be an increase in the provision of charging points.

By April 2020 the number of publicly available electric vehicle charging points in Dorset had reached 80 devices, 21 per 100,000 population. This is lower than the national average of 27 charge points per 100,000 population. There is a risk that Dorset residents will be disadvantaged by not having sufficient access to a public charging point network unless action is taken now to address this shortcoming. Expanding the charging network across Dorset will require significant action from both public and private sectors. A council planned programme of charge point installations commencing in 2020 will expand the public off-street electric vehicle charging network significantly. 

Improvements to the electric vehicle charge point network has been identified in the following plans and work streams:

• Dorset Council’s Plan 2020-2024
• Dorset Local Transport Plan
• UK Government’s Climate Change Act 2008 and the Net Zero Emissions Law target to reduce greenhouse emissions by 100% to net zero by 2050 

• UK Government policy to ban the sale of fossil fuel powered cars by 2035
• the climate and ecological emergency declared by Dorset Council 2019
• to address the levels of pollution in Dorset’s declared air quality management areas 

Both on-street and off-street EVCP provision are covered in this EqIA. However, at this time there is a focus on the off-street delivery. This is because off-street charging is currently considered to have the biggest impact on the residents, workforce and visitors of Dorset. It is also the part of the project that will be soonest delivered.  Off-street EVCPs will be located initially in Dorset Council owned public facing car parks. Due to a number of complex issues involved in the delivery of on-street charging points, further research is required to identify the best approach to delivery.

This EqIA is focussed on the installation of charge points rather than the electric vehicles.

Intelligence and communication

Data, information, evidence and research and how it was used to influence the decision making process

Multiple sources of data and information have been used to inform the development of our approach to electric vehicle charging points. These are summarised below. 

The Department for Transport provides numerous statistical datasets, many available at national, regional and local authority level. The vehicle licencing collection includes ultra-low emission vehicle statistics at local authority level 

The Energy Savings Trust provides practical electric vehicle charging advice to local authorities. 

Local data sources used include: 

• consultation with town, parish and Dorset Council councillors
• consultation with various local groups who represent, or whose members represent, those with protected characteristics eg Age Concern, local disability access groups
• two electric vehicle charging points demand studies (2011 and 2019) completed by the research and information team
• Joju - the EVCP supplier selected under the terms of the Central Southern framework agreement
• Dorset Council Statistics
• electric vehicle charge point data from existing rapid charger sites: Bridport, Dorchester, Lyme Regis, Weymouth, and Wimborne
• ZapMap - a UK-wide map of charging point
• electric vehicle user forums
• Business Travel Network – a business focussed transport organisation funded by Dorset Council and BCP. 

General enquiries from residents and visitors are received via emails to ElectricVehicles@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk  and via the customer services team. The electric vehicle chargepoint webpage provides useful information and links for those seeking information on charging an electric vehicle in Dorset.

This data showed an increasing need for electric vehicle charging points across Dorset. 

The Department for Transport statistical data shows that on average the number of plug-in electric cars and light good vehicles has increased by 55 percent per annum in Dorset over the last 5 years. Government have consulted on introducing a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2035 and predict rapid growth in the electric vehicle market as people switch to low emission vehicles. Demand for electric vehicle charging is therefore also increasing. 

The Energy Savings Trust estimate that there could be between 15.6 million and 19.4 million electric cars in the UK by 2035, between 47% and 59% of all cars on the road. 

Energy Savings Trust forecasts for the uptake of electric cars in the UK, based on the end of sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars by 2035.

Electric cars as a percentage of new car sales

Total number of electric cars in the UK (cumulative)

Electric cars as a proportion of all cars

Through webinars organised by the Energy Savings Trust and other local authority contacts, we have drawn on the experience, knowledge and best practice that exists in the UK. 

Locally a variety of data, information and guidance has been gathered: 

• consultation with town, parish and Dorset Council councillors has helped identify locations where there is local support

• impacts of the installation of charge points identified by local groups with protected characteristics have been incorporated into part 4 of this EqIA

• electric vehicle charging points demand studies in 2011 and 2019 identified possible areas where urban households without off-street parking should be targeted to encourage electric car uptake. 

• Joju have conducted a desktop feasibility study to understand which Dorset Council car parks are suitable to have electric vehicle charging points

• Dorset Council car park and permit data, as well as the Department for Transport vehicle statistics, was used to determine potential demand and suitability of all Council owned car parks

• Dorset Council statistics along with DfT statistics provided information around dwelling types, which affect the level of parking provision. Generally, at a national level in England, houses and bungalows were much more likely to have garages than flats (48% compared with 9%), however, social sector houses or bungalows were less likely to have garages (7%) than private sector flats (13%)

• parking provision was also strongly related to dwelling location. For example, 56% of homes in rural areas had a garage compared with 44% in suburban and just 14% in city and urban areas. In both the private and social sectors, parking provision worsened as building density increased

• we need to be mindful that not all households own a vehicle

• the 2011 census shows that 82.5% of dwellings in the Dorset Council area are houses, with 62.5% being detached or semi-detached properties

This leads us to conclude that the majority of residences in the Dorset Council area have access to off road parking and will be able to make provision for electric vehicle charge points at home. We will need to do further research to identify where there is no ability to charge a vehicle at or close to home. 

• electric vehicle charge point data from existing rapid (five sites: Bridport, Dorchester, Lyme Regis, Weymouth, and Wimborne) charger reports demonstrate strong and growing demand for charging points

• ZapMap data has helped identify where the private sector has already installed charge points and avoids public investment in areas where there is already adequate supply 

• electric vehicle user forums – used as informal guidance 

• business travel network events and engagement provides workplace vehicle charging information as well as information provided by guest speakers about the road to a zero-carbon future and how it can be achieved from a business perspective

Other local authority experiences have revealed the installation of on-street EVCPs brings with it its own complexities. Issues such as trailing cables across the footway requires further guidance regarding general safety in accordance with the Highways Act 1980. This has led Dorset Council to focus on the delivery of off street EVCP installation at this time rather than on-street. 

We have identified through consultation with local disability access groups that parking bays need to be wide enough to accommodate blue badge holders and families (parent/child). As such there will be two EVCPs across a minimum of three standard parking bays making them the same size as a standard disabled parking bay. 

There are issues identified around smart phone technology needed to use some electric vehicles charge points – e.g. not everyone has the digital skills or is comfortable with technology or has a mobile phone.As such the supplier will provide alternative access. 

Further information needed to help inform this proposal

No further information is required for off-street parking charge points. 

But further information is needed to help inform our on-street charging point approach, including:

• legal guidance for on-street charge points regarding trailing cables across footways

• locations where there are households which do not have the ability to install an electric vehicle charge point at home or have access to an EVCP in the near vicinity of their home

• suggestions for electric vehicle charge point locations recorded, ideally on a map, to further identify collective need. This will be achieved through the launch of an online webform which has just gone live (July 2020) to enable the public to suggest locations for new electric vehicle charging points and will help inform the project in future

Engagement and consultation

Engagement or consultation has taken place as part of this EQIA

Consultation with town, parish and Dorset Council councillors regarding locations took place in Summer 2019.

Consultation with local protected characteristic groups took place in July/August 2020.

Feedback

Unitary, town and parish councillors will be updated via newsletters or individually as necessary. 

We will feedback to representatives of the protected characteristic groups via a ‘you said, we did’ summary as an email and possibly on our website which will be updated as the project progresses.

Assessment 

Impacts     

Action Plan

Who has agreed the EqIA?