AQO 1654/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 18/02/2021
Answered On Date: 01/03/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether she will bring forward a comprehensive, detailed plan to revive and grow Northern Ireland’s electric vehicle charging network.

Answer:

Responsibility for the operation, maintenance and development of the public charge point network transferred to the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) and Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) with effect from 30 July 2015. This was intended to allow commercialisation and development of the network, which was also opened to other operators.

My officials are currently considering the future requirements in terms of public charge point infrastructure and will continue to liaise with ESB to consider any specific requests to ensure the public network can meet the needs of EV owners now and in future.

My Department is working to identify further action to support the decarbonisation of transport and infrastructure services that will help to reduce carbon emissions and address the climate emergency. This includes leading a Transport Working Group, set up to inform the transport elements of the Department for the Economy’s Energy Strategy currently under development.

A number of key areas have been identified for consideration including the electrification of transport. I look forward to considering these proposals to help deliver a change in the way we travel that also helps us to tackle the climate crisis.

My officials have also been engaging with the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and the Energy Saving Trust (EST), who administer the On-street Residential Charge Point Scheme (ORCS), in particular, with reference to local councils in the North. The EST held a workshop with local councils here to provide information about the scheme.

I remain committed to working in partnership with Executive colleagues and others across our islands to help deliver a change in the way we travel that also helps us to tackle the climate crisis.