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Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

Public charge points for electric vehicles

Status: Closed Opened: 29 Nov 2024 Closed: 16 May 2025 5 recommendations 26 conclusions 1 report

The UK’s domestic transport sector was responsible for almost 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2023. To combat this, the Government has a manifesto commitment to end the sale on new combustion-only (petrol or diesel) vehicles by 2030. To support this transition, an estimated 300,000 Electric Vehicle (EV) public charging points will need to be …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
14th Report - Public charge points for electric vehicles HC 512 12 Mar 2025 31 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
13 Conclusion 14th Report - Public charge points for … Deferred

Ultra-rapid charge points on strategic roads crucial for motorist confidence and range anxiety

Public ultra–rapid charge points across along motorways and major A–roads (collectively known as the strategic road network) are necessary to address “range anxiety” amongst motorists. Motorway service areas in particular act like the “shop window” for providing confidence to drivers that charge points are widespread.23

Government response. The government agrees with the observation regarding the necessity of ultra-rapid charge points on the strategic road network. They will provide an update in September 2025 on rollout progress, gaps, and next steps to address these.
HM Treasury
14 Conclusion 14th Report - Public charge points for … Deferred

Motorway ultra-rapid charge point targets missed due to optimistic planning and grid connection issues

The Department had an ambition that operators would install six ultra rapid charge points at every motorway service area by the end of 2023. However, only around half installed that many charge points by that time, and by January 2025 only 80 out of 114 met this target. The Department …

Government response. The government agrees with the observation regarding the slow rollout of ultra-rapid charge points and acknowledges the challenges. They will provide an update to the Committee in September 2025, outlining work to understand provision gaps and next steps to address …
HM Treasury
15 Conclusion 14th Report - Public charge points for … Deferred

Current ultra-rapid charge point benchmark insufficient for future demand and power capacity

The Department stated that there was not necessarily a very scientific underpinning for using six ultra–rapid charge points as its benchmark today, however, meeting charge point demand in the longer term might require much more than this, and in July 2024 only around 10% of motorway service areas in England …

Government response. The government agrees with the observation regarding the benchmark for charge points and power capacity. They will provide an update to the Committee in September 2025 on the rollout of ultra-rapid chargepoints, including understanding provision gaps and outlining next steps.
HM Treasury
16 Conclusion 14th Report - Public charge points for … Deferred

Significant distribution gaps persist for ultra-rapid charge points on major A-roads

The number of ultra rapid charge points installed within one mile of the wider strategic road network has exceeded the Department’s expectations, with 2,377 installed by July 2024, against a target of 2,500 by 2030.27 However, distribution remains a problem; for example, there are stretches of major A–roads in the …

Government response. The government agrees with the committee's observation and commits to providing an update in September 2025 on the rollout of ultra-rapid chargepoints, including work undertaken to understand existing distribution gaps and outlining next steps to address them.
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
20 Jan 2025 Jo Shanmugalingam · Department for Transport, Nick Shaw · Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, Richard Bruce CBE · Office for Zero Emission Vehicles Directorate View ↗

Correspondence

3 letters
DateDirectionTitle
4 Sep 2025 To cttee Letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Transport relating to…
1 Jul 2025 From cttee Letter to the Interim Permanent Secretary of the Department for Transport relat…
11 Feb 2025 To cttee Letter from the Second Permanent Secretary for the Department for Transport rel…