North Somerset Electric Vehicle Strategy

These Electric Vehicle proposals will have significant effects on peoples freedoms to travel, their finances and well-being, so consultations should not be rushed through. Residents’ views should not be potentially restricted just because the council want to “analyse the results quickly”.

North Somerset Council (NSC) states that it’s

“… only accepting views via [a] questionnaire, not as individual letters or emails”. Also, it’ “...had to make the [questionnaire] text limits quite tight so [it] can analyse the results quickly and efficiently.

Read NSC’s Electric Vehicle Strategy and /or the 'At a Glance' document for increasing the uptake of Electric Vehicles in North Somerset by 2030. The online questionnaire before it closes at noon tomorrow Thursday 6 April.(Summary of Questionnaire page1 and page2)

Issues residents should consider before supporting NSC rollout of its EV strategy:

• mining of core elements - cobalt, nickel, lithium - destruction of environments, pollution of water, promotion of slavery, stealing childhoods (PDF), fracturing communities supposedly to enable NSC residents to live a ‘green’ life. Colchester City Council Meeting on Environmental & Sustainability
• safety - battery instability – spontaneous fires (PDF) - weight of vehicles (PDF)
• end of life recycling – poisonous chemicals, recycling dilemmas (PDF)
• collision insurance problems – inability to know the stability of batteries causing cars to be written off rather than repaired - repairability (PDF)
• second-hand car market - Electric Vehicles are taking twice as long to sell in the second hand and trade market as Petrol and Diesel cars.
• effect on energy consumption during an energy crisis - Switzerland (PDF)
• how the electric will be created and effect on rural environment e.g. solar and wind power generators on green pastures and arable fields

NSC At a Glance (PDF)

• “It is forecast that the public sector will need to fund 613 fast and 30 rapid publicly accessible charge points by 2030”
• As of 2022 Q3, 2,800 electric vehicles were registered in North Somerset,"
• "It is expected that EV uptake in North Somerset will rise to 7.7% of all vehicles in 2025, and 30.1% in 2030."
• "By 2030, this equates to around 37,509 EVs within North Somerset."
• "Residents and businesses will therefore be encouraged to only undertake a journey by private EV after first assessing options above EVs in the transport hierarchy, such as walking, wheeling, cycling or using public transport. The provision of charge points should not diminish active travel and public transport as the natural first choices."

NSC Electric Vehicle Strategy (PDF)

• "The strategy provides an overview of EV charging technologies, assesses current EV uptake and existing charging provision, and forecasts EV uptake and charge point demand to 2030. It also discusses delivery models for the roll-out of charge points, alignment with the Revive Network, and the integration of EVs within our transport hierarchy.” What about all the issues surrounding the making and disposing of EV’s and batteries? The restricted travel issues? Safety?
• The Revive Network is based on the ‘Own & Operate’ delivery model, supported by grant funding... As there is a growing appetite from the private sector to invest and reducing central Government grant funding available, we will support the transition of the Revive Network to a concession model for residential charging,
• Opportunities to incorporate EVs and charging infrastructure within other travel modes and choices will be explored. These include:
  • Mobility Hubs • Car clubs • Public transport • Sustainable commuting initiatives • E-bikes • Taxis and private hire vehicles
• Rapid and ultra-rapid charge points are more likely to attract full funding by the private sector. However, these could also be included in a broader concession agreement with slower residential charge points in order to help cross-subsidise less commercially attractive sites, particularly in rural areas."

• NSC state that cross-subsidy required in less commercially attractive sites, particularly in rural areas, yet rural areas may be losing their green pastures and arable fields in order to site solar and wind farms that may be depended upon to create this ‘green’ electricity to power the EVs! Also putting the local and national food security at risk.

NSC states:

“Electric vehicles present an opportunity to reduce tailpipe emissions and air pollution produced by motor vehicles in our communities and along our road network. It is recognised that greatest emissions reductions are likely to be realised through the decarbonisation of the energy grid.

 

However, it is important that our steps in enabling the transition to electric vehicles happen in parallel and support the grid decarbonisation, rather than awaiting its completion.

 

The strategy outlines our current position, sets a course for the scale of our network by 2030 and outlines the approach we will take to creating reliable, equitable and accessible charging provision across North Somerset.”

Six Objectives & Actions

We have set out 6 objectives, each supported by a number of actions which show our role of leadership and facilitation and the need to work in partnership with stakeholders, such as charge point operators, National Grid, private landowners and businesses.

1. To expand the network of EV Charge points in North Somerset
2. To seek private sector investment to fund a scaled up charging network
3. To collaborate with the REVIVE Network and other key organisations
4. To influence other organisations to fill gaps in the charging network
5. To future proof new developments
6. To monitor the pace of EV uptake, charge point provision and government announcements

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See also:

• Some Consultations on BOB
• BOB submission and BPC submission