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Department for Transport proposes minimum level of charging infrastructure in car parks and inclusive design for EV chargers.

The Government is consulting on the availability and accessibility of public electric car charging infrastructure, seeking new powers to intervene in the private sector.

A new consultation launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) – and its subsidiary the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) – is part of a call for four pieces of primary legislation.

The first would grant the department new powers to set a minimum level of charging infrastructure in non-residential car parks, which landowners must adhere to. The DfT suggests one chargepoint for every 10 parking spaces would be a potential target, with cable routes for chargers in one in five spaces.

If granted these powers, the DfT says it would “not have immediate plans” to use them and would instead “continue to monitor the delivery of charging infrastructure”, using the powers only if deemed appropriate.

The Government wants similar powers obliging local authorities to plan and deliver EV future charging infrastructure plans, pointing the finger at councils that have “not yet identified what is needed” in their jurisdictions with regard to on-street chargepoints and rapid charging hubs.

New Rapid Charging Fund

The third piece of legislation relates to the new £950 million Rapid Charging Fund to finance the installation of additional or upgraded EV charging infrastructure at service stations on motorways and major A roads.

The fund covers only England, future-proofing the provision of EV charging on National Highways’ strategic road network. The Government now wants the power to require open tenders for new agreements with private firms, with a minimum of two chargepoint providers contracted at each service station, creating more competition between companies.

Finally, the Government is seeking EV drivers’ views on their experience at public chargepoints, with a view to improving accessibility for disabled motorists and making people safer when their car is charging.

The consultation is open until 11:45pm on Monday 22 November. Responses can be submitted on the DfT’s website, by email or by post. By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

Everything you need to know about London’s new ULEZ charge

 ► London’s ULEZ launched 8 April 2019

► Now area within Norht and South circular

► Charge is £12.50 a day for affected cars

London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) has grown today, and now covers an area 18 times larger than before. Previously restricted to central London and the original congestion charge zone, the previous ULEZ was launched in April 2019. From 25th October, the ULEZ now covers everywhere inside the North and South circular roads (though not the roads themselves).

Transport for London estimates that 80% of cars won’t incur a charge, but there should still be an impact on the amount of pollution. ‘With the expanded scheme we will reduce the amount of carbon being emitted by more than 100 tonnes,’ Sadiq Khan, told the Today programme. ‘That’s about 60,000 vehicles being taken off the roads.’

So how much does the ULEZ charge cost, what’s it for and when do you need to pay it? Keep reading for CAR magazine’s guide to London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.

How much is the ULEZ charge, and how big is the zone?

The Ultra Low Emission Zone has been pushed through to clean up the air quality of London, and initially it’ll only affect central London. It’s also going to be replacing the short-lived T-charge but will operate in addition to the Congestion Charge.

It rolled out on 8 April 2019, and covered the same area as the Congestion Charge – and now it covers everywhere within the North and South circular.

And below is the sign you’re going to start to seeing as you drive into central London, signalling that you’re approaching the ULEZ. However, you can check before you set of, using this tool which shows which postcodes are affected here.

What time of day does the ULEZ operate?

Unlike the Congestion Charge, there is no operating time for the ULEZ charge; if you enter at any time of the day or night, you’ll have to pay. After all, this is about stopping emissions, not traffic at peak hours.

More bad news: the charge is calculated per calendar day, so if you drive in to the ULEZ area at 11pm at night and then drive out at 2.30am the following morning, you’ll have to pay the charge twice. Sour!

How much will the ULEZ cost, and how do you pay it?

If your vehicle is affected, you’ll have to pay an extra £12.50, and if you’re using a larger vehicle (like a lorry over 3.5 tonnes or a coach over 5 tonnes), it’ll cost an extra £100 per day. Like the congestion charge, you can pay online, and even in advance.

Remember, this is in addition to the London Congestion Charge, so if you’re going through during the Congestion Charge’s operating time, too, you’ll have to pay both tolls. There are discounts available. The TFL website states that ‘residents who are registered for the residents’ Congestion Charge discount will get a 100% ULEZ discount until 24 October 2021′. Instead, ‘residents will continue to pay the T-Charge at a discounted rate of 90%, during this ULEZ resident sunset period.’

What’s the fine if you don’t pay the ULEZ?

Don’t pay the ULEZ charge, and you’ll be presented a £160 fine, though that halves to £80 if you pay quickly.

How to check if your vehicle is affected

ULEZ charges are calculated on the emissions a vehicle produces rather than the car’s age, and the minium emission standards for petrol and diesel cars are below:

• Petrol: Euro 4
• Diesel: Euro 6

If your car fails to meet those standards, you’re going to pay the charge, so this will only affect older cars. According to the TFL’s website, most petrols registered after 2005 will pass the Euro 4 protocols, although some cars from 2001 onwards may also be okay. In terms of diesels, most vehicles bought after September 2015 will generally pass the ULEZ standard.

What about classic cars?

If you’re a classic car owner there’s some better news. Cars built more than 40 years ago (those exempt from VED road tax) will also be exempt from the ULEZ charge. So anything made before 1 January 1981 qualifying for historic vehicle tax will be exempt from the new ULEZ charge.

Be aware, that historic vehicle tax doesn’t include commercial vehicles though. By Graham Hill thanks to Car Magazine

One of the drawbacks to taking out a lease through a broker like me, if you have a car that you would normally part exchange, is that we don’t take part exchanges. However, with so many companies wanting to buy your car now is a great time to consider the alternatives and return more than you would receive from a dealer in part exchange.

In my forthcoming book, Love Cars! Hate The Finance? I explain that one of the worst on-line buyers was webuyanycar.com. However, since the owners of webuyanycar.com – British Car Auctions set up Cinch a corner has been turned. Initially, cars bought by webuyanycar would be auctioned which gave them an advantage as of course they didn’t incur auction costs.

Once they had the opportunity to retail cars through Cinch they were able to offer more for good quality cars that could be sold via the Cinch platform. But you shouldn’t stop there. Thanks to Autocar we have 9 options that you can use to sell your car if you are moving into a lease.

Getting shot of your car can be a pain in the bottom end, especially if it doesn’t sell straight away. We offer some suggestions beyond the classified ad and trade-in.

 As this is written (September 2021), right now, the car on your driveway is like a pot of gold. That’s how valuable used cars are. Well, the right sort of used cars at any rate – nearly new, sporty or niche, Euro 6 diesels, tidy SUVs…

A few reasons: microchip shortages are delaying deliveries of new cars, so forcing buyers to consider buying nearly new instead, fewer new cars were sold last year so there are fewer part-exchanges knocking around and people, forced to hunker down during covid, have more cash to spend on treats like a change of car.

Making a ton of money on your old car is one reason you might want to sell it but there are plenty of others including a change in your circumstances, it’s costing more to maintain or you simply want to upgrade. The question is, how can you do it? In no particular order, here are nine suggestions:

Part-exchange it

People become so focused on buying their next car that they forget they’re selling one, too. It’s called their part-exchange and it has a value not only to you but to the dealer buying it. They can make money on it and, if it’s a popular model such as we described above, a lot of money – so make them sweat for it.

Before you turn up at the dealership, make sure you know what your car is worth. You can get an online valuation or one from a company that buys used cars (see below). However, such valuations are often behind the times or on the low side. Instead, we’d run the car past online third-party car buyers such as Wizzle and Motorway that put your car in front of dealers who compete to buy it, rather like an auction. Doing this, you’ll get a more realistic, competitive and up-to-date valuation.

So armed, you’ll know if the dealer is making you a fair offer. Depending on how they work, they’ll either give you a discount on the new car and the lowest price for your old one or no discount and a good price for your old car. As long as you know the market value of your car and keep your eye on the cost to change from your old car to the new one, however they construct the deal, you’ll know whether you’re being treated fairly or not.

Sell it to a cash-for-car company

We’ve all heard the stories about companies offering an enticing online price for your car before reducing it substantially after inspecting it in person. Back in 2017, we tested a couple of them, using a 2012-reg Peugeot 107 Allure with 49,000 miles on the clock, which we declared to be in average condition (light scratches and kerbed wheels). For reference, we checked its value with a leading trade guide. It suggested £2325.

We Buy Any Car offered £2185 before, on inspection, revising its offer to £1706. Its rival, We Want Any Car, initially offered £2190 but, on seeing pictures of the car, adjusted its offer to £2070.

A spokesman for We Buy Any Car said: “The company guarantees to give the price quoted on the website if the vehicle is as described but, if issues come to light on inspection, then the price needs to be adjusted. The price offered by different [online] buyers will vary and so we recommend motorists shop around to get the best price.”

In fairness to WBAC and its rivals, we should add that all such companies have had to raise their offers in response to today’s market conditions where prices of good used cars have risen rather than fallen. We should also point out that while there’s no charge to you, you may be charged for the company’s transfer of funds to your bank account.

Sell it via a third-party car buyer

It sounds dubious but a third-party car buyer is only like We Buy Any Car and its rivals expect that rather than buying your car, it offers it to traders who buy it instead. You upload pictures of your vehicle to its website complete with a detailed description and the company then presents it to traders who subscribe to its service.

Before the sale, the company will tell you what, based on recent sales, it thinks your car is worth. Based on this figure, you set a reserve price below which you won’t go and then sit back and wait for the best offer. It’s like an auction with only those traders who are interested in your car, bidding to buy it. There’s no cost to you – even the transfer of funds is free.

Companies providing this service include Wizzle and Motorway. Using the latter, this writer achieved just £600 less for his Mazda MX-5 than he bought it for two and a half years and 18,000 miles before.

Auction it

Third-party car buyers are like auctions but here we’re talking about the real things. Of course, to suggest you sell your car at an auction sounds little better than feeding it to the lions but, if you’re canny about it, you might get a decent price. By canny, we mean choosing not only the auction house carefully but also the sale itself.

For example, if your car is young with a lot of value in it or an in-demand premium or sports model, you should pick a sale where cars like it are also being offered. This way, you stand a better chance of it being seen by buyers interested in such cars and with a market for them.

A key thing to note is that since lockdown, the major auctions in particular have moved to online sales only and also barred private bidders, so before you get too excited about a car, check you’ll be allowed to bid for it.

Meanwhile, Tom Luik, owner of Cannock Motor Auctions, operates weekly sales of cars typically aged between four and 10 years old and he says there’s always a good number of buyers. The challenge is to get sellers to set sensible reserves (the lowest price they’re prepared to accept).

“Nine out of 10 times, our estimate for what the car will go for is accurate but some sellers don’t believe us,” he says. “They’ll end up offering the car several times but, at the fourth attempt, we insist they offer it without a reserve. No one wants to see the same car going through an auction again and again. It puts buyers off.” cannockmotorauctions.co.uk

Sell it to the trade

Selling your car to the motor trade seems little better than selling it at auction with the extra disincentive that no one else is competing with them to buy it. But choosing a dealer that specialises in your kind of car could net you a decent price and as we explained earlier, they are desperate for the right kind of stock – any stock. After all, you’ve saved them the trouble of buying it at auction and they can test it and quiz you all about it. However, do make sure you’ve researched your car’s value first.

Offer it for sale or return

If you have the time and can afford to do it, another way to sell your car is to leave it with a dealer who specialises in your particular model or type of vehicle.

They’ll stock it for an agreed period and take a cut of the sale price for selling it. They’re more likely to be interested in this kind of deal if your car is a bit special in some way and so likely to attract attention.

Scrap it

There are some salvage companies that not only buy scrap cars for around £120 at current prices but also buy cheap runners (cars in good condition with an MOT) for more. Car Take Back (CTB) is backed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. It was formed 15 years ago when end-of-life vehicle regulations, which govern the disposal and recycling of cars, came into force. It works with 300 authorised treatment facilities (ATFs) licensed to handle scrap cars.

You enter your car’s details on the CTB website and await an offer. Don’t hold your breath, though. For a 2018-reg Mazda MX-5, CTB offered £1236. On the other hand, for a 1998-reg Nissan Micra with 160,000 miles we found being advertised by a dealer for £199, the company bid £81. It’s not much but, if you just wanted a car off your hands without paying for advertising, it’s worth considering.

Give it to charity

For many, this might be the disposal method of last resort but at least the car’s cash value goes to a good cause. Give A Car, founded in 2012, is one of the leading operators in this field. All of the cars it receives are either scrapped or sold at auction. It processes around 150 cars each month.

Many of them are cheap, but it claims 30% are runners and occasionally it receives higher-value vehicles. For example, it was once given an Austin-Healey that was subsequently auctioned for £17,000. When you donate your car, you choose which charity you want the proceeds to go to.

The non-profit enterprise takes a cut of the car’s disposal price to pay its running costs. On cars that sell for less than £150, this figure is 30% including VAT, and on cars that sell for more, it’s 35%. This fee is applied after the auction or scrap company that disposes of the car has charged Give A Car for its collection and processing, a figure that’s typically around £120. (This charge isn’t imposed on cars costing less than £150.) It means that on a car that sells for £1000, £308 including VAT goes to Give A Car and £572 to the charity.giveacar.co.uk

Advertise it on social media

As with most other aspects of life, social media can also offer a sales route. Facebook Marketplace is a common route, but even TikTok and Twitter can be useful to reach an audience. Some even go viral, although always be prepared for how your video might be received: a US car dealer posted about using colour coat spray to cover seat stains, only to receive a huge backlash. 

By Graham Hill thanks to Autocar

Char.gy has launched a 12-month wireless charging trial in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, with peer-to-peer car sharing platform Hiyacar.

The trial will use 10 Renault Zoe battery electric vehicles and is a collaborative effort between Buckinghamshire Council, Milton Keynes Council, London Borough of Redbridge, the University of Warwick, the Open University, IPT Technology, and additional support from Hiyacar.

Funding has come from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and Innovate UK.

Char.gy, which has developed the wireless technology with IPT Technology, hopes the trial will pave the way for the future of urban wireless EV charging.

It says the new charging solution will mean that in the near future, those without access to private charging via garages, driveways or other off-street parking options will be able to charge their vehicles efficiently and cable-free.

Char.gy’s wireless charging works via an electrical induction charging pad installed in the ground. In the trial this is fitted in a dedicated parking spot in Liston Road car park.

Existing EVs do not have wireless charging capabilities built in, the 10 Hiyacar Zoes have been fitted with an aftermarket induction charging kit. They can be booked through the Hiyacar app.

Nine additional trials will take place in other locations around Buckinghamshire, as well as Milton Keynes.

Drivers who rent an EV during the trial will be contacte by the Open University for their feedback on their experience to gauge the success of this charging solution from the drivers’ perspectives.

Other trials of wireless charging technology are also taking place in the UK.

In another OZEV-funded project, nine electric taxis with take part in a trial in Nottingham. They will be available on the city’s streets for hail by the general public as they capture data, including journey distances and battery level.

All the vehicles will be adorned in a new green and blue livery to promote the WiCET (Wireless Charging of Electric Taxis) branding. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Lake District National Park has installed a network of 28 electric vehicle charging points across its locations.

The chargers will not only support its own fleet of BMW i3s but are also open to the public. The move is one of Lake District National Park Authority’s low carbon projects to promote a cleaner and more sustainable environment across the Lake District.

To support its fleet electrification plans, Lake District National Park Authority appointed AMP EV to install Rolec’s range of AC fast and DC rapid chargers.

Emma Moody, lead strategy advisor for recreational & sustainable transport at Lake District National Park Authority said: “We are showcasing what can be done in terms of travelling more sustainably and are leading by example by using electric vehicles for our staff to get out and about in the Lake District.

“We ask visitors to travel to and around the Lake District in a more environmentally friendly way, and this improved network of charging points throughout the Park makes travelling by electric vehicle easier and more convenient.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The average price of a litre of petrol and diesel rose in September to make a tank £12 more expensive than a year ago, according to new RAC Fuel Watch data.

Unleaded increased by 1.5p to 136.83p while diesel rose by 2.5p to 139.25p, making the price of petrol 22p a litre more expensive than a year ago (114.61p 30 September 2020) and diesel 21p dearer (118.10p).

RAC said both fuels are at prices last seen eight years ago in autumn 2013, with petrol only being 5.65p off the all-time high of 142.48p and diesel 8.68p off the record of 147.93p.

The rise at the pumps has not been driven by the fuel delivery crisis but by a 10.65% increase in the price of oil from $71.29 to $78.88 throughout September, said the RAC.

Simon Williams, fuel spokesman at the RAC, said: “Not only are motorists struggling to put fuel in their vehicles, but they are also having to pay through the nose for it as the rising cost of a barrel of oil is causing further pain at the pumps.

“As life moves ever closer to normal as the world gets to grips with Covid-19, demand for oil is outpacing supply, and with producer group OPEC+ deciding on Monday not to release more oil, the barrel price has now broken through the $80-mark for the first time in more than three years.

“This looks likely to spell further misery for drivers at the pumps as we head towards Christmas, especially as some analysts are predicting the price could even hit $90 before the end of the year.

“If this were to happen, we could see the average price of unleaded hit a new record of around 143p per litre. Diesel would shoot up to 145p which is only 3p off the record high of 147.93 in April 2021.”

According to the RAC, for those who have filled up a 55-litre family car with petrol at the end of September, they would have paid £75.26 – up 85p in September and £12.22 on 12 months ago.

A full tank of diesel is now £76.59 – up £1.40 in September and £11.63 more than a year ago, the data found.

The RAC said prices at four major supermarkets were 4p a litre cheaper than the UK average while at motorway services they were 15p more expensive for petrol at 151.55p and 156.35p for diesel.

Asda sold the cheapest unleaded at 132p while Sainsbury’s offered the lowest price diesel at 134.28p.

Williams added: “Drivers have had to endure the average price of petrol going up for 10 out of the last 12 months and now, because of the supply crisis, many have had great difficulty getting hold of it just so they can go about their daily lives.

“While we’ve heard of some smaller retailers taking advantage of the situation by charging very high prices for their fuel, these cases appear to be few and far between, with most retailers acting responsibly.

“As forecourts’ fuel stocks return to normal drivers will inevitably switch from worrying about whether they can get the petrol or diesel they need to just how much a fill-up is costing them.

Regional pump prices

Unleaded	01/09/2021	30/09/2021	Change
UK average	135.29	136.83	1.54
East	135.88	137.03	1.15
East Midlands	134.90	136.49	1.59
London	136.21	137.91	1.70
North East	133.70	135.79	2.09
North West	134.87	137.04	2.17
Northern Ireland	132.02	133.56	1.54
Scotland	135.22	135.99	0.77
South East	136.09	137.98	1.89
South West	135.71	137.27	1.56
Wales	134.67	136.01	1.34
West Midlands	135.18	136.49	1.31
Yorkshire and The Humber	134.28	136.29	2.01

Diesel	01/09/2021	30/09/2021	Change
UK average	136.71	139.25	2.54
East	137.38	139.58	2.20
East Midlands	136.27	138.65	2.38
London	137.46	139.95	2.49
North East	135.44	138.10	2.66
North West	136.38	138.97	2.59
Northern Ireland	132.78	135.46	2.68
Scotland	136.50	138.89	2.39
South East	137.77	140.34	2.57
South West	137.28	139.69	2.41
Wales	136.37	138.92	2.55
West Midlands	136.83	139.20	2.37
Yorkshire and The Humber	136.09	139.03	2.94

By Graham Hill thanks to RAC & Fleet News

Police are appealing to fleet workshops, garages and MOT test centres to support a new initiative targeting the theft of catalytic converters and other components.

The SmartWater Group, which is spearheading the new, policebacked scheme, wants them to become accredited registration hubs, after the unique identifier proved to be a deterrent.

In a recent SmartWater trial with the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership (NICRP) and the British Transport Police (BTP), thefts of catalytic converters more than halved.

Thefts peaked in March, when 3,245 catalytic converters were stolen, but they have been declining since, with 1,378 recorded in July – a 57% fall. Key to that decrease was a joint operation codenamed Goldiron, which recovered more than 1,000 stolen catalytic converters in April.

The operation, which was coordinated by the British Transport Police (BTP) and involved experts from SmartWater’s intelligence unit, the Centre for Infrastructure and Asset Protection (CIAP), also resulted in more than 50 arrests.

Over a five-day period, officers and partner agencies visited 926 sites, stopped 664 vehicles, recovered 1,037 stolen catalytic converters and 297 items of stolen property and identified 244 offences.

Rachael Oakley, director at CIAP, says SmartWater is a “highly-proven deterrent to criminals and rogue scrap metal dealers as it makes stolen parts too hot to handle”.

The heat-resistant solution, which is invisible to the naked eye but glows yellow under UV light, leaves a long lasting and unique identifier.

Oakley explained: “The combination of the materials that is put into the solution makes each individual vial unique.

“The registration of this bottle is what’s key. Every item marked with SmartWater is registered on our database.”

NATIONAL SMARTWATER DATABASE

It can be applied by brush in 10 minutes and only a fragment of SmartWater is required to link it to a specific vehicle on the ‘National Asset Database’, which is operated by CIAP on behalf of the police.

NICRP lead and BTP Superintendent, Mark Cleland, said: “Thanks to the support of the Home Office in creating the NICRP, our joint working with SmartWater and other industry partners, and the drive by enforcement partners across the UK, we have made a real impact in tackling metal and catalytic converter crime.

“While arrests continue to be made, it is the preventative approach through the forensic marking of catalytic converters that gives motorists the opportunity to protect their property and stop the crime in the first place.”

Catalytic converters have been targeted because they contain a honeycomb coated with precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium which help to filter harmful gases from the vehicles’ exhaust systems.

The RAC says that when the global value of these metals increases it usually leads to a spike in thefts. Prices of rhodium hit a record high earlier this year, up more than 200% since March 2020.

In an effort to deter criminals from targeting Toyota’s cars, the carmaker joined forces with police and SmartWater earlier this year to covertly mark the catalytic converters on more than 100,000 cars.

The initiative is costing Toyota more than £1 million and will be provided to existing owners for free.

Oakley, who met the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) with the British Transport Police to discuss the initiative, believes other manufacturers are watching with interest.

OTHER SMARTWATER APPLICATIONS

She also told Fleet News that, while catalytic converters were a focus, the forensic marking could be applied to other high-value vehicle components, which could be targeted by criminal gangs.

She explained: “We can basically react to where there might be a crime spike or a trend and if fleets are asking us to help with solutions, we can look at what we can do to make sure SmartWater can assist with that.

“Criminals will move quickly; the prices of precious metals will start to come down and they’ll move on to something else.

“What we’re seeing is that’s likely to be something like hybrid batteries or electric vehicle cables.

“We’d like to get ahead of the game by putting in the preventive measures to stop these crimes becoming the issue that catalytic converter crime has become.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

ABB has launched the Terra 360, a 360kW electric vehicle (EV) charger.

The company claims the new device is the “world’s fastest” electric car charger.

It can deliver 62 miles of range in less than three minutes and can charge up to four vehicles at once.

“With governments around the world writing public policy that favors electric vehicles and charging networks to combat climate change, the demand for EV charging infrastructure, especially charging stations that are fast, convenient and easy to operate is higher than ever,” said Frank Muehlon, president of ABB’s E-mobility Division. “The Terra 360, with charging options that fit a variety of needs, is the key to fulfilling that demand and accelerating e-mobility adoption globally.”

Available in Europe from the end of 2021, ABB says the Terra 360 is designed with the daily needs and expectations of EV drivers in mind.

Its lighting system guides the user through the charging process and shows the State of Charge (SoC) of the EV battery and the residual time before the end of an optimal charge session.

As well as serving the needs of private EV drivers at fueling stations, convenience stores and retail locations, ABB expects the Terra 360 chargers to be installed at commercial premises to charge electric fleet cars, vans and trucks.

The devices are fully customisable and can be branded. There is also the option to include an integrated 27-inch advertisement screen to play video and pictures.

ABB has sold more than 460,000 electric vehicle chargers across more than 88 markets since 2010. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Motorway service stations could be forced to end exclusive arrangements with charge point operators under new rules being considered by the Government.

Currently, the majority of motorway service areas in England have an exclusive provider of open access charge point services, which poses a potential risk when awarding cash from a new £950 million Rapid Charging Fund.

The fund aims to future-proof electrical capacity at motorway and major A road service areas to support the phase-out of petrol and diesel cars and vans.

Available in England-only as the provision of transport infrastructure is devolved, it will support the cost of providing additional or upgraded electrical connections at motorway and major A road service areas.

The fund will be administered by a delivery body which will: accept funding applications from motorway and major A road service areas; examine the applications to ensure the requested connection size is based on robust estimates of expected demand from a 100% zero emission vehicle fleet; and potentially act as the owner of the new/upgraded connection, leasing capacity to applicants.

However, with motorway service areas in England operating exclusive arrangements with charge point providers, ministers are concerned this could lead to any funding being challenged on state subsidy or other grounds.

The Competition and Markets Authority completed a study of the EV charging market in July 2021 and decided to open an investigation into these existing agreements at three of the major motorway service operators under the Competition Act 1998. It has yet to publish its findings.

In a zero-emission vehicle consultation, one of five on transport regulatory reform launched by the Department for Transport (DfT) yesterday (Tuesday, September 29), the Government says it is considering taking new powers to make the exclusive elements of existing charge point service arrangements void and unenforceable.

To ensure long-term competition is maintained at these sites, it says it is considering requiring service area operators and large fuel retailers to tender charge point service contracts openly and have a minimum of two – and at some sites more than two – different charge point operators at any particular site.

It says that the effect of this will be create more competition between charge point service providers at these sites for the benefit of consumers, and to reduce the legal risk to the fund.

It added: “We are considering requiring existing providers of charge point services at motorway service areas to make their charge points open access rather than only open to an exclusive network or group of networks or manufacturers.

“This would also extend to existing agreements for such services, which would be rendered void and unenforceable if the network were not to be opened.”

Furthermore, to ensure there is sufficient charge point availability at these strategically important sites on the network, it says it is considering further extending its powers to mandate that service area operators and large fuel retailers must meet minimum charge point numbers at specific sites, and at increasing levels over a period of time.

The Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) in its consultation ‘Future of transport regulatory review: zero emission vehicles’ is seeking views on new primary legislation that would give the Government powers to introduce requirements in four areas, including new powers to support the delivery of the Rapid Charging Fund.

The other three are examining the introduction of a statutory obligation for local authorities to plan for and provide charging infrastructure, requirements to install charge points in non-residential car parks and requirements to improve the experience for EV consumers.

Future of Transport consultations

With radical changes in transport expected over the next decade, the Government says it is making sure the right framework is in place to drive innovation, keep people safe and harness the benefits of new technologies right across the country.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “This is a hugely exciting time for transport in the UK.

“On our roads EVs are set to become the norm within the decade, on our seas autonomous and remotely operated vessels will increase efficiency and improve safety, and in our skies drones and novel aircraft will transform the way people and goods move around.

“Supporting these innovations will not only ensure high standards for consumers but also create a research-friendly environment so we can continue being world leaders in transport.

“We will create a safer, greener transport system that attracts investment and supports skilled jobs across the country.”

Alongside zero emission vehicles, consultations have been launched into modernising vehicle standards, maritime autonomy and remote operations, the future of flight and regulatory sandboxes – a defined space where new business models, technologies and policies can be deployed and used in a way that is safe and responsible.

On vehicle standards, the consultation says the Government wants to implement improved environmental standards and enforcement to better meet current and future challenges, particularly around self-driving vehicles.

It is proposing four areas where it wants to make changes, with the consultation seeking views on: providing a modern framework for tomorrow’s vehicles – regulating safety, security and environmental performance; establishing a flexible, proportionate, and responsive approach to regulating safety, security and environmental performance of vehicles; tackling tampering; and improving compliance, safety and security.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A preference for flexible working could make the rush hour a thing of the past, research by Wagonex has found.

The vehicle subscription specialist says the changes, brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, may mean traffic congestion on roads and passenger surges on rail and bus services happening unexpectedly at different times of the day and on different times of the week.

Traditionally, rush hours have been between 6am and 9am, and 4pm to 6.30pm.

Tony Kernon, founder and CEO of Wagonex, said: “There are huge benefits to hybrid working.

“Individuals will be able to achieve a better work/life balance and businesses will have happier, more productive staff.

“With fewer people traveling to offices there could also be an environmental benefit and improvements in air quality.

“But one big downside is that life could well become even tougher for commuters.

“If employees can choose on which days they go to the office and have more flexibility in their working hours, it will become incredibly difficult to predict when and where travel peaks will occur.

“Commuters who drive to work may find they breeze into the office one day and then are stuck in tailbacks the next and those using public transport may be alone in carriages and on buses one day and packed in like sardines the next.”

Conducted by Yonder, the Wagonex survey polled 1,000 working age people and found:

• Close to two-fifths (37%) of respondents expect to work or study remotely more often in the future compared to before the pandemic.
• Younger respondents aged 18-24 (56%) and 25-34 (45%) are significantly more likely than the older age groups to expect to do so (35-44s 29%; 45-54s 32%; 55-64s 17%).
• The wealthier ABs (52%) and C1s (42%) are notably more likely to expect to work or study remotely more in the future compared to C2s (24%) and DEs (19%).
• Respondents that work in the public sector (52%) are significantly more likely than those working in the private sector (38%) to prefer working/studying remotely more in the future.
• Half of respondents (50%) expect to commute to and from work or their place of study primarily using their car.

This last point is supported by recent research from used car marketplace Heycar, which found 47% of commuters will travel to and from their office by car.

Dan Powell, senior editor at Heycar, said: “After so many months of lockdowns and social distancing, it’s understandable that one-in-two are uncomfortable with the prospect of being jammed into a train carriage or standing on a packed bus with dozens of strangers.

“As a result, our cars have taken on even more importance as a comfortable and reliable way to travel to work in a post-pandemic world.” By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News