AQW 11314/22-27

Mr Alex Easton
Independent
North Down

Tabled Date: 03/05/2024
Answered On Date: 21/05/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure how he will address the lack of electric vehicle charge points.

Answer:

The provision and operation of publicly accessible Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points is a commercially led operation. Responsibility for the maintenance and installation of any commercially operated charge point rests solely with the Charge Point Operator. Current providers operating here include BP Pulse, Easygo, ESB, Maxol and Weev. The market is also open to other commercial operators who would wish to provide charging infrastructure.

In this commercially led market, my officials continue to provide advice to Charge Point Operators on operational matters such as procedural arrangements for planning and installation requirements.

There are now 577 publicly available EV charge points in the North, this represents a growth of 48% in the total number of available EV charge points here since April 2023. Relevant charge point operators are best placed to advise you of their plans for the installation of further charge points in the North.

Local Councils have been able to avail of funding for the installation of charge points under the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV) ‘On Street Residential Charge Point Scheme’, which my Department has match funded. Derry City and Strabane District Council made an application under this scheme in 2021-22, on behalf of nine Local Councils and are currently preparing a tender for charge point operators to provide 127 charge points across those Council areas.

My Department continues to work with colleagues in OZEV, to promote the provision of a range of grants made available to support the rollout of additional EV charging infrastructure, such as the recently announced Workplace Charging Scheme for State Funded Education Institutions.