AQW 11233/22-27


Mrs Deborah Erskine
Democratic Unionist Party
Fermanagh and South Tyrone


Tabled Date: 02/05/2024
Answered On Date: 20/05/2024
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any plans his Department has to increase the number of (i) normal; and (ii) rapid electric vehicle charge points in the Fermanagh and South Tyrone constituency.


Answer:
The provision and operation of publicly accessible electric vehicle charge points is a commercial operation. Responsibility for the maintenance and installation of those charge points rests solely with the charge point operators (CPOs). In this commercially led market, officials continue to engage with EV owners and provide advice to CPOs on operational matters and my Department is leading an EV Infrastructure Task Force, bringing together representatives from government, consumers, energy providers, industry and EV drivers to consider the barriers to enhancing our EV charging infrastructure requirements.
My Department does not hold information detailing electric vehicle charging points or their locations. Relevant up to date charge point locations can be found on online platforms, such as https://www.zapmap.com. The relevant CPOs are best placed to advise you of their plans for the installation of charge points in your constituency.
Local Councils have also been able to avail of funding for the installation of charge points under the Office for Zero Emissions’ On Street Residential Charge Point Scheme which my Department match funded. Derry City and Strabane District Council are leading a consortium on this work having been successful in securing funding to install 127 charge points across nine Council areas, and may be in a position to outline their plans within your constituency should you wish to contact them.
It may also be of interest that The British Government provide statistical updates quarterly on the number of publicly available charging points available in the UK. The latest figures published in April 2024 indicate that there are now over 545 publicly available charge points, 53 of which are within the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Constituency. This represents a 40% increase in overall charge point numbers since April 2023. The statistics can be found here:
Electric vehicle public charging infrastructure statistics: April 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).