Electric Vehicle charging update

In relation to tariffs, Cabinet agreed that the minimum fee for Destination and Journey Chargers is to remain at £5; while an Overstay Fee was approved for Journey 50kW chargers which will always be applied with no overnight exemption. This means that the three Ayrshire councils will be aligned with 26 other councils in applying the overstay fee 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it will ensure charger availability as well as potentially boosting the Council's tariff revenue.

It was also noted that there will be an increase in the tariff in January 2025 and July 2025 to take into account fluctuating energy prices and to allow a more cost neutral provision of EV charging across the Council area. This may also provide some additional income to allow repairs and maintenance to be carried out.

Cabinet agreed to the removal of the additional parking fee for anyone drawing an electricity charge in an EV bay located within a Council car park. This is part of the Council's ongoing commitment to tackle climate change by promoting the use of electric vehicles. The use of these bays will continue to be regularly monitored to ensure they are not misused.

Also discussed was the issue of dropped connections which are shortening charging sessions and leading to drivers being charged repeated £5 fees for re-connecting attempts. If any driver experiences this, they should report it immediately to ChargePlace Scotland.

Councillor Jim McMahon, Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing, Transport and Communities, said: “Due to the level of uncertainty surrounding future energy prices and the maintenance and replacement costs associated with aging EV charge points, we will have to increase the tariff next year otherwise the Council may not be able to cover the operational and maintenance costs of these charge points.

“Increasing the tariff will also position the Council to be more cost competitive to encourage more private sector involvement as part of the Pan-Ayrshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure.”

An update was also provided to Cabinet about the progress made by Ayrshire Roads Alliance in the procurement phase of the Ayrshire EV Infrastructure Strategy in collaboration with North Ayrshire Council.

In response to the Scottish Government’s target of phasing out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, all three Ayrshire Councils embarked on a regional electric vehicle infrastructure strategy. Its aim is to ensure a coordinated approach to expanding EV charging facilities across Ayrshire to support the expected increase in people buying electric vehicles.

Cabinet previously approved the pan-Ayrshire EV Strategy in March 2023 which set out a roadmap for the installation of EV charging points in key locations, particularly focusing on urban centres, rural communities and strategic travel corridors. The procurement phase was identified as a critical stage in securing the necessary infrastructure, funding and operational frameworks to meet Ayrshire’s future needs.

Since the launch of the Ayrshire-wide strategy, the three councils have worked collaboratively to align objectives and pool resources with assistance from Scottish Futures Trust. The joint working group established to oversee the procurement process has made significant progress in identifying potential suppliers, funding opportunities and best practice models to develop the infrastructure.

In collaboration with consultant Mott MacDonald Limited, the joint working group is currently at the stage of developing a detailed tender document, outlining the technical specifications, geographical distribution of charging points and operational requirements. This tender is planned to be issued in early January 2025 and the deadline for submission of bids will be mid-May 2025.

A critical element of the procurement strategy was securing funding from multiple sources to support the large-scale deployment of the EV infrastructure. The three councils have successfully applied for and received partial funding from the Scottish Government’s EVIF fund which specifically supports the development of EV charging networks across the area.

Additionally, discussions with private sector partners including ChargePlace Scotland and national utility providers are ongoing.

Councillor McMahon said: “Good progress has been made so far around the EV Infrastructure Strategy which is important in terms of developing a sustainable public EV charging network and meeting our Net Zero targets.

“As we continue to progress with the procurement process, with a view to awarding the contract by August 2025, we will be consulting with our communities to make sure they have an input into the location of chargers. We will also carry out ongoing monitoring to ensure that the project remains on track and aligns with both local and national objectives.”

Notes to editor:

Tariff increase

From 3 January 2025

From 1 July 2025

ends