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The transport sector, due to its dependency on fossil fuels, is a major contributor to society’s carbon footprint, and affects air quality and public health. In 2018 transport in Dorset was responsible for 40 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, an estimated 655 kilotons of CO2 equivalent. Decarbonising the transport sector will be a key challenge in moving towards a zero-carbon future.
Reducing car travel and achieving modal shift in favour of public transport and active travel will have a significant role in addressing these impacts. However, for certain activities and particularly in rural areas of Dorset with limited public transport provision, cars and vans are the most suitable means of transport. Replacing existing petrol or diesel vehicles with electric vehicles (EVs) is therefore a key part of Dorset Council’s Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy to help achieve our climate change and air quality goals.
The UK Government has introduced a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030. The ban will speed up the transition to EVs. By 2030 it is estimated that EVs could account for up to 30 percent of all cars and vans in the UK (approximately 91,000 vehicles within the Dorset Council area).
Charging infrastructure is essential to encourage EV ownership. In Dorset there are currently 90 public electric vehicle chargepoints or 23.8 per 100,000 population. To meet growing chargepoint demand it is forecast that between 233 to 502 public chargepoints will be needed by 2023 to meet demand from residents, businesses, and visitors.
By adopting this Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, Dorset Council is demonstrating a commitment to promote the uptake and deployment of EVs. This document sets out a vision, the Council’s planned approach in the form of an action plan, and how the Council will use data to monitor the impact of the strategy.
A two-year time horizon has been set for this EV strategy, covering 2021 to 23. This short time horizon allows the strategy to focus on what is currently known, what can be practically delivered, and for the EV market in the UK to mature. The strategy will be reviewed regularly to provide opportunity to reflect upon rapid technological and socio-economic change, with a refresh published in 2023.
This electric vehicle strategy covers the following:
Publicly accessible off-street chargepoints in destinations. This includes public car parks, retail, leisure, and tourist attractions. Destination chargepoints provide top up charging opportunities and address range anxiety concerns.
Chargepoints located at or near EV owners’ homes. (There may overlap with destination charging). These serve residents primarily for overnight charging and are important for residents that lack private off-street parking at home. Chargepoints could be situated on-street or in off-street locations depending on the setting and local constraints. Convenience for residents will be a priority consideration when locating these chargepoints without causing pavement obstructions that could discourage walking and cycling. Community charging also falls into this category.
Hub-based charging (a group of chargepoints) at a central location in or out-of-town. Sufficient grid capacity must be available to accommodate high powered charging. Power can also be generated on-site from renewable sources.
Chargepoints installed in depots and at Council offices to enable electrification of the Council operational and pool fleet. Sufficient grid capacity must be available to accommodate high powered charging.
Chargepoints installed at workplaces within private car parks for use by a company’s employees and fleet vehicles. Workplaces could also provide community charging facilities if the chargepoint is made publicly accessible.
The application of planning requirements on new developments to ensure planning applications fully provide for future uptake of EVs.
Charging infrastructure that meets the requirements of future electric bus and taxi fleets. Sufficient grid capacity must be available to accommodate high powered charging.
The generation of renewable energy to supply electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Renewable energy could either be generated on-site co-located with charging infrastructure or be generated off-site.
Not within the scope of this strategy are:
These out-of-scope areas will be monitored and reassessed for inclusion in future strategies.
Our vision is to create a reliable and accessible charging infrastructure for residents, businesses and visitors that helps Dorset become carbon neutral by 2050.
By implementing this strategy Dorset Council will:
Figure 2.1 presents a summary of the major stages of development up to 2030. This shows the longer-term planning required to meet growing charging infrastructure needs and meet decarbonisation goals.
How this relates to the Transport Decarbonisation plan
The Government has developed a plan to decarbonise transport. The Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP), published in July 2021, sets out in detail how to deliver the significant emissions reduction needed across all modes of transport to achieve net zero emissions from transport by 2050. The Setting the Challenge 2020 report identifies the decarbonisation of road vehicles as one of six strategic priorities:
In March 2022, the Government published their taking Charge EV Strategy which sets out their vision and action plan for the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the UK and Dorset Council is aligning our local strategy to this plan - UK electric vehicle infrastructure strategy - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Local Transport Plan (LTP) vision for Dorset is a safe, reliable, and accessible low carbon transport system that assists in the development of a strong low carbon economy, maximises the opportunities for sustainable transport and respects and protects the area’s unique environmental assets (Bournemouth, Poole, and Dorset Local Transport Plan 2011 to 2026). You can see below how this Strategy will make a significant contribution to meeting the LTP goals. The LTP will be refreshed, and an updated plan will be published, once the Department for Transport (DfT) have provided guidance expected in the last quarter of 2022.
The Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy lists these areas for action that align directly with this strategy -
Direct:
Indirect (through services):
Other links
The EV strategy is one of several LTP supporting strategies. It is aligned with the LTP objectives and has strong synergies with:
The EV strategy is focused on delivery between 2021 to 2023. It is based upon the best available evidence on the current EV market at the time of production, and forecasts for how the market will develop over the period covered by the strategy.
The strategy acknowledges that the EV sector is still in its infancy and will undergo significant changes over the coming years. We will adopt an agile approach to respond quickly to technological, market and socio-economic changes. We will also identify and adopt innovative approaches to ensure that delivery is effective, and the infrastructure meets the needs of Dorset’s residents, businesses, and visitors.
Priorities for 2021 to 23 are:
Opportunities:
By implementing this strategy, we will:
EV1.1 - Enable a phased roll-out of destination chargepoints. Locations will be selected to meet current and future demand from residents, businesses, and visitors, fill in gaps in the charging network, and have good access from the strategic road network. Individual sites will be subject to a feasibility study including an assessment of local grid capacity. The initial phases to commence in 2021-22 will include:
Phase one - installation of more than 40 fast chargepoints in town centre public car parks. Renewal of the existing chargepoint infrastructure, including five rapid chargepoints, to improve reliability at popular charging locations.
Phase two - installation of more than 40 fast chargepoints in public car parks and at other public locations including at country parks, leisure centres, and tourist destinations.
EV1.2 - Monitor chargepoint use and other market trends to inform future provision of fast and rapid chargepoints.
EV1.3 - Publish an online map on Dorset Explorer of planned future chargepoint locations.
EV1.4 - Match the power output of the chargepoints to suit average dwell times 7 so that the right type of charger is available at the right location. Table 3.1 provides a guide to which chargepoint types will be deployed where.
Table 3.1 - chargepoint type guide
Type | Capacity (kW) | Charge time | Dwell time | Suitable at |
---|---|---|---|---|
slow | 3 to 7 | 16 hours | 7 hours plus | residential |
fast | 7 to 22 | 2 to 7 hours | 1 to 7 hours | destinations, charging hubs or workplaces |
rapid or ultra rapid | 50 plus | up to one hour | less than one hour | destinations, charging hubs, taxi ranks, en route charging, and use by fleet or commercial vehicles |
EV1.5 - Contract a chargepoint supplier to install, maintain and operate the Council’s destination charging network under the terms of the Central Southern Region (CSR) EV Framework. We will work closely with the operator to select charging locations to deliver a network across Dorset that is viable and accessible to all. The CSR Framework offer will be periodically reviewed to ensure that it still represents good value for the authority.
EV1.6 - Ensure that the network operator fulfils their service level obligations to maintain a reliable network and provide a customer focussed support function as set out in the CSR Framework agreement. We will work with the operator to investigate complaints about the network and respond to problems.
EV1.7 - Share experience and knowledge with other public bodies to help them expand the public charging network. Dorset’s town and parish councils play a key role in identifying local EV charging needs and could help expand the community charging network by installing chargepoints on community spaces such as village halls and parking areas.
EV1.8 - Engage with neighbouring local authorities, landowners, other local chargepoint stakeholders, and commercial network operators to ensure coordination of chargepoint delivery. This approach will ensure that resources are maximised and the networks that develop are complementary to one another.
EV1.9 - Maximise private sector investment to deliver chargepoint infrastructure. A licence model minimises the financial risk to us with the supplier and their funding partner having responsibility for maintenance charges and replacement/upgrade costs. As set out within the CSR framework terms, in return we receive a 10% share of the kilowatt hours (kWh) supply price for the next 15 years.
EV1.10 - Secure capital funding to enable Dorset Council to fund chargepoints partially (concession model) or fully (external supply and maintenance model) in locations less attractive to the private sector. This will ensure a wider spread of chargepoints to encourage EV ownership in smaller towns and rural areas. The Council will monitor government programmes and other sources of funding and submit bids to eligible funding programmes.
EV1.11 - Ensure that all charging bays meet all equalities legislative requirements and access for disabled people.
EV1.12 - Enforce parking regulations in line with local restrictions. Enforcement will ensure the use of parking bays are restricted to EV use and that EVs are connected and charging. Parking fees will continue to apply at the times stipulated at the car park.
EV1.13 - Commit to public chargepoints on our land being supplied with electricity from green energy suppliers who produce 100% of their electricity from zero-carbon sources.
Priorities for 2021 to 23:
Opportunities:
Key stakeholder groups:
By implementing this strategy, we will:
EV2.1 - consider the location of residential chargepoints. Locations will be identified where there is a high proportion of properties lacking off-street parking and the area demonstrates high demand for chargepoints.
EV2.2 - consider all available residential charging options, with solutions designed to balance the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors, while keeping a safe and accessible network of footways, and minimising the amount of street furniture and clutter. This may include off-street and on-street charging infrastructure. Chargepoints will not be installed in locations where they would restrict footway access. Individual site surveys will be required to assess potential on-street locations.
EV2.3 - undertake engagement with residential communities, including a survey, to understand their needs and determine which locations would be best suited for charging infrastructure. Engage with local members in locations where the potential location of chargepoints could be deemed unwelcome or controversial such as areas where parking is already at a premium.
EV2.4 - submit an OZEV ORCS grant application to secure capital funding for residential chargepoints at a minimum of ten public locations with residential parking.
EV2.5 - contract a chargepoint supplier to install, maintain and operate chargepoints in Council owned public car parks that are located within a 5 minute walk (400 metres) of a residential area with a high proportion of households without off-street parking A concession delivery model is the preferred option as this shares risk and shifts the requirement to manage and maintain the chargepoints to the supplier. Chargepoints at these locations maybe eligible for ORCS funding.
EV2.6 - enforce Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) to restrict petrol or diesel vehicles parking in EV charging bays and limit the length of stay for an EV. These offences will be enforced through Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs).
EV2.7 - ensure all residential chargepoints, both off-street and on-street, will be public access. Chargepoints will not be considered personal to any individual or business.
EV2.8 - commit to residential chargepoints on our land being supplied with electricity from green energy suppliers who produce 100% of their electricity from zero-carbon sources.
EV2.9 - encourage community charging by signposting the services available from chargepoint sharing providers. Sharing or renting out of home chargers by EV owners could significantly increase community access to chargepoints and remove the barriers to owning an EV in residential areas without off-street parking.
EV2.10 - have a webpage on our website for residents to suggest locations for an electric vehicle charging point. If you wish to submit an expression of interest for an electric vehicle charge point near your home, please fill out this form.
Priorities for 2021 to 23 - feasibility study to identify suitable site(s), define scope and develop business case.
Opportunities:
Key stakeholder groups:
By implementing this strategy, we will:
EV3.1 - commission a feasibility study to identify potential charging hub locations and develop a business case.
EV3.2 - en route charging hubs should be located on or close to the strategic highway network to minimise traffic diverting away from these key routes.
EV3.3 - engage landowners, stakeholders, and network operators to identify delivery model(s) and our role. Licencing and concession delivery models will be considered.
EV3.4 - explore opportunities to co-locate new service station, park and ride, and charging hub facilities.
EV3.5 - commit to public chargepoints on our land being supplied with electricity from green energy suppliers who produce 100% of their electricity from zero-carbon sources. This will include maximising opportunities for on-site renewable energy generation and energy storage.
EV4 - charging at our sites
Priorities for 2021 to 23 - charging infrastructure located on our estate to enable the us to begin converting our fleet to zero emission vehicles.
Opportunities:
Key stakeholder groups:
By implementing this strategy we will:
EV4.1 - carry out a feasibility study across the estate, in coordination with our property team, to identify charging capacity and need.
EV4.2 - secure capital funding from internal and external sources for EVCPs and select an appropriate delivery model upon completion of the feasibility study. Make OZEV home and workplace charging grant applications to support the capital investment of installing chargepoints. The delivery options being considered are licence, concession or council funded external supply and maintenance contract.
EV4.3 - install chargepoints in at least four depots and the main council offices at County Hall for use by the operational fleet. Approximately 12 chargepoints could support up to 50 cars and car derived vans within the operational fleet by 2023.
EV4.4 - install chargepoints at County Hall for pool EVs if and when the pool fleet is expanded.
EV4.5 - install home charging infrastructure for standby vehicles as they are replaced by EVs. Installing home chargepoints at employees’ homes have been trialled by other local authorities and shown to be an effective approach for meeting fleet charging needs.
EV4.6 - aim to use electricity supplied from green energy suppliers who produce 100% of their electricity from zero-carbon sources. This will include maximising opportunities for on-site renewable energy generation and energy storage.
EV5 - workplace charging
Priorities for 2021 to 23 - encourage businesses to install workplace chargepoints for fleet charging, staff use and community charging.
Opportunities:
Key stakeholder groups:
By implementing this strategy, we will:
EV5.1 - support business networks to host workshops targeting businesses looking to install chargepoints, convert their fleet to EVs, and encourage their staff to use EVs for personal use.
EV5.2 - support business networks to signpost relevant workplace EV funding opportunities.
EV5.3 - support business networks to signpost information sources that enable businesses to develop their business case to invest in EV infrastructure.
EV5.4 - encourage businesses to make their chargepoints available for community charging. This would help people who are not able to charge at home transition to electric cars and could greatly increase the availability of chargepoints across Dorset.
EV6 - Development policies
Priorities for 2021 to 23:
Opportunities
Key stakeholder groups:
By implementing this strategy, the Council will:
EV6.1 - adopt an EV policy within the new local plan for new developments which sets out standards for chargepoint provision. Development proposals that include parking facilities or which will be likely to generate vehicle movements or vehicle ownership will be expected to integrate the provision of infrastructure to enable the charging of electric vehicles into the design and layout of the development.
EV6.2 - strengthen policies within the refreshed LTP that support the decarbonisation of the transport sector, alongside mode shift and behaviour change initiatives.
EV7 - bus and taxi charging
Priorities for 2021 to 2023 - identify charging infrastructure needs of the bus and taxi sectors operating within our area.
Opportunities:
Key stakeholder groups:
By implementing this strategy, we will :
EV7.1 - engage with the bus and taxi sectors to understand how we can support the transition to electric vehicles. The Energy Savings Trust will support the council to engage with taxi drivers in the form of a survey and engagement materials.
EV7.2 - investigate potential locations for bus recharging hubs.
EV7.3 - consider the location of destination chargepoints (see EV1) and charging hubs (see EV3) within close proximity to key taxi ranks and drivers’ break locations.
EV8 - Renewable energy generation and supply for electric vehicle charging
Priorities for 2021 to 2023 - all chargepoints on our land and chargepoints installed on our estate to be supplied with electricity from green energy suppliers who produce 100% of their electricity from zero-carbon sources.
Opportunities:
Key stakeholder groups:
By implementing this strategy, we will:
EV8.1 - insist on all chargepoints on our land to be supplied with electricity from green energy suppliers who produce 100% of their electricity from zero-carbon sources. We will stipulate that all chargepoints should be supplied with electricity from renewable sources as a requirement when engaging with any chargepoint operator.
EV8.2 - maximise opportunities to produce renewable energy on our land and the our estate. Conduct a feasibility study and develop a business case for locating renewable energy generating facilities on our land to supply EV chargepoints.
Action Plan
Our action plan sets out the measures we will undertake within this strategy period between 2021to 23. This will be reviewed initially by the Strategy and Delivery Teams within Transport Planning every six months to ensure it stays relevant. Due to the frequency of the reviews and the anticipated progress the action plan is not included as part of this strategy but will be shaped by this strategy.
Decarbonisation of the road transport sector will require internal combustion powered vehicles to be replaced with EVs. In 2019 within the Dorset Council area there were 258,144 cars and light goods vehicles registered. Currently less than one percent (1,673 vehicles) are plug-in electric. By 2030 the number of EVs in Dorset could reach up to 30 percent (91,000 vehicles) of all cars and vans.
To meet growing demand, it is forecast that significantly more chargepoints will be needed by 2030. Modelling data estimates that by 2030 Dorset could need between 1,200 to 2,900 public chargepoints to meet demand from residents, businesses, and visitors.
The tourism industry is especially important to Dorset with an estimated 30 million visits (day visits and staying trips) contributing £1.8 billion to the local economy. The surge in demand for EV chargepoints in the summer poses a specific challenge. Data from our five rapid chargepoints show that demand grows at some sites by 25%-50% in July and August. To cater for this demand the number of chargepoints will need enough capacity to match peak demand levels experienced in the summer.
Significant investment is required
There are significant costs associated with installing and maintaining chargepoints. It will be necessary for us to invest in the provision of chargepoints in areas that do not meet the investment criteria of private network operators, particularly rural areas. We will need to fund this investment by securing capital grant funding and reinvesting chargepoint operating profits, as well as maximising private investment from commercial network operators.
Long term travel behaviour and socio-economic change linked to Covid-19 pandemic
Dorset is grappling with the Covid-19 outbreak and the impact it is having on local services and communities. The long-term impact on transport services and demand is yet unknown, but the transport sector will need to continue to adapt to the ongoing situation for the near future. It is anticipated that there will be a sustained increase in home working and the role of the high street is expected to change following a significant move to online retail. Both changes could see significant shifts in travel behaviours and future EV chargepoint demand could be impacted.
Innovation
Within the next couple of years, the EV sector is expected to rapidly innovate as technologies develop and the market matures. We will closely monitor these innovations and will adopt an agile approach in order that it can progress with delivery and take advantage of new innovations and opportunities as they arise.
This strategy identifies several unknown factors about how the EV sector will develop – things that could/will change, but at this stage it is not clear how. These include:
Key performance indicators (KPIs) have been set to monitor progress towards the vision set out within this strategy. This strategy is evidence driven, using data to drive and monitor change. The KPIs will be reviewed annually to measure progress and to also ensure they remain fit for purpose.
ID | Indicator | Measure | Actions | Source |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Number of chargepoints |
|
EV1.1 EV2.2 |
|
2 | geographical coverage of chargepoint network | percentage of settlements with public chargepoints | EV1.1 EV2.2 EV2.3 | GIS analysis |
3 | chargepoint use |
|
EV1.1 EV2.2 EV2.3 EV4.1 EV4.2 | back office data reports |
4 | chargepoint network reliability | percentage chargepoint uptime | EV1.1 EV2.2 EV2.3 EV4.1 EV4.2 |
|
5 | customer satisfaction | percentage overall very satisfied or satisfied with public network | EV1.1 EV2.2 EV2.3 |
|
6 | community engagement |
|
|
|
7 | capital funding secured | grant funding | EV2.1 |
grant offer letters |
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) - A vehicle powered by a battery, which can be plugged into an electricity source to recharge. Also known as ‘pure’ or ‘100 per cent’ EVs, they have zero tailpipe emissions.
BCP – Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council.
BTN – Business Travel Network.
Chargepoint – A charging socket which is connected to an electric vehicle via a charging cable to allow the battery to be recharged with electricity.
Chargepoint Network – The way that users access a chargepoint via RFiD card or web or app.
Central Southern Region (CSR) EV Framework – A public sector framework for obtaining, developing, and delivering EV chargepoints open to public sector bodies based in and around Hampshire, Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex, and Wiltshire.
eBike – an electrically assisted pedal cycle. The maximum power output of 250 watts should not be able to propel the bike when it is travelling more than 15.5mph. In the UK you must be over 14 years old to ride an e bike.
eCargo bike - an electrically assisted pedal cycle featuring a minimum 125 litre cargo volume capacity and minimum 130 kg weight capacity.
EV – Electric Vehicle; the vehicle is powered by electricity so requires plugging in to recharge the battery.
kWh – Kilowatt Hour; unit of electricity. Car batteries are sized in kWh i.e. a 50 kWh battery stores 50 kWh of electricity.
LTP – Local Transport Plan; the council's strategy and policy framework for transport and guide for investment priorities.
p/kWh – Pence per Kilowatt Hour. Users are charged for each kWh they consume. Charging tariffs are in pence per kilowatt Hour.
Payment by bank card – In line with national regulations, all new Rapid and Ultra Rapid chargers will accept payment via a contactless bank card (credit or debit card). This allows users to access these chargers without joining a Network.
PHEV – Plugin Hybrid Electric vehicle; combines a smaller battery with a conventional internal combustion engine and an electric motor. This allows an electric range of between 20 – 50 miles and the ability to drive with an empty battery for hundreds of miles using petrol or diesel.
Pool car – a vehicle that is made available to staff to book for business travel. Dorset Council currently has 3 electric pool cars but plans to extend this number through the replacement of other petrol / diesel pool cars.
ORCS - On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme.
Overstay fee – To encourage appropriate use of charging bays and assure they are available for people who need them an overstay fee will apply after a vehicle has finished charging and grace period has been exceeded.
OZEV - Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.
RFiD - Radio-frequency identification is used for wireless automatic identification.