Major electric vehicle rules could be rolled out under the new Labour Government as Transport Secretary Louise Haigh backs plans for sweeping changes.
In the run-up to the election, Labour said it would support drivers with several proposals to make motoring easier, including filling in millions of potholes and removing planning permissions to make EV charger installations easier.
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has previously spoken and written about electric vehicles and how drivers could benefit from lower costs, describing herself as “immensely passionate” about EVs.
In a blog post from March 2022, she posted: “I appreciate the wider issue of ensuring that electric vehicle ownership is affordable and accessible for everyone and throughout the whole country.
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There are more than 66,000 public EV chargers around the UK
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“It is for this reason that I support calls for the Government to offer interest-free loans for new and used electric vehicles to those on low to middle incomes, and to trial a national scrappage scheme for people who want to trade in their old cars.”
Haigh added that she supports the move to accelerate the rollout of on-street chargers, particularly in areas of the country that have fallen behind in the postcode lottery.
The MP for Sheffield Heeley wrote at the time that she wants to ensure that electric vehicle ownership is “affordable and accessible for everyone”.
The Labour manifesto outlines how it would support the transition to electric vehicles by installing more chargers and reintroducing the 2030 deadline to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.
In addition, Labour said it would support buyers of second-hand electric cars by “standardising the information supplied on the condition of batteries”, to give drivers the confidence to invest in used EVs.
Speaking to GB News, Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK, highlighted the need for Government intervention to help motorists access electric vehicles for a cheaper rate.
She said: “ChargeUK, therefore, echoes the Secretary of State’s previous call for VAT on public and home charging to be equalised at five per cent and encourages the new Government to also look at other measures that would improve affordability.
“This includes addressing the recent 300 per cent hike in standing charges networks operators must pay, adding renewable electricity to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, and continuing, and potentially expanding, the current incentives that help drivers to buy or lease an EV.”
While there are around 700,000 electric vehicle chargers around the UK at households and workplaces, there are less than 67,000 public chargers, highlighting the need to accelerate the rollout.
The Government is still aiming to install 300,000 chargers by the end of the decade, with experts calling for planning restrictions to be scrapped to increase the number of chargers dramatically.
Rachel Reeves will deliver Labour’s first Budget on October 30, with experts and drivers looking to the Chancellor to bring in rules and changes to help drivers adapt to electric vehicles.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport told GB News: “We’re committed to delivering greener transport by supporting the transition to electric vehicles.
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Drivers are hoping for new rules to be introduced in the upcoming Budget
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“This includes phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and accelerating the rollout of charge points.
“We will set out more details in due course.”
