New tariffs for West Lothian’s electric vehicle (EV) public charging network are to be brought in next year.
West Lothian will join the majority of Scottish local authorities in setting tariffs for EV charging points when they are introduced in February, after the move was agreed by the council Executive.
Depute leader of the council Councillor Kirsteen Sullivan said the new tariff would help develop the EV network across the county.
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West Lothian Council currently owns a total of 32 public charge points at seventeen locations.
There are a number of charge points operated by other organisations, including those located at railway stations.
As uptake of electric vehicles and the use of council owned facilities has increased, so have the costs of operating and maintaining the network and infrastructure. These costs are currently met by West Lothian Council, but this is no longer sustainable given the rising cost of electricity.
Peter Rogers, Energy and Climate Change Manager, told the meeting that introducing charges for council owned charging points will allow the council to recover the costs of operating the network, maximise the availability of rapid chargers by improving driver behaviour and encourage private investment in the network, further increasing provision of EV charging points in future - which is widely seen as a way to help meet the future growth of electric vehicles and demand for charging points.
The Scottish Government has pledged to phase out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans across Scotland by 2032.
The majority of Scotland’s councils already have tariffs in place for public owned charging points.
The new tariffs will cover the costs incurred for the unit cost of electricity, maintenance and future investment and expansion of new EV charging points.
The new charges covering all types of charging points be:-
Rapid charger: £1 minimum charge; Unit Rate/kWh – 40p; Maximum stay limit, 50 minutes; 10 overstay charge (following ten minute grace period). No return within 90 minutes.
Fast chargers: £1 minimum charge; Unit Rate/kWh – 30p; Maximum stay limit, 180 minutes; £10 overstay charge (following ten minute grace period). No return within 90 minutes.
Other chargers: £1 minimum charge; Unit Rate/kWh – 30p Maximum stay limit - none; Overstay charge - none
Tom Conn, the Executive councillor for the environment and sustainability, said: “ As Transport Scotland and the Scottish Futures Trust concluded in their EV charging infrastructure report last year, whilst it was an important driver of early uptake, the provision of free to use public charging points needs to change and more sustainable financing models are required to remove barriers to private sector investment.
"If this happens, there will be further growth in charging points which will help to meet the future growth of electric vehicles and demand for charging points.
“The introduction of tariffs supports the Scottish Government to deliver the targets set out in the Climate Change Act which we are legally bound to comply with.”
Councillor Sullivan told the meeting that she welcomed the move: “ I have had representations from my own constituents regarding a need for more points across the county and if the new tariffs can help that roll-out then I would welcome that.”
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