Energy UK response to the Street Works Access: EV CPOs consultation

Street Works Team
Department for Transport
3rd Floor Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London SW1P 4DR

12th April 2024

Dear Street Works Team,

Energy UK is the trade association for the energy industry with over 100 members – from established FTSE 100 companies right through to new, growing suppliers, generators, and service providers across energy, transport, heat, and technology.

Our members deliver nearly 80% of the UK’s power generation and over 95% of the energy supply for 28 million UK homes as well as businesses.

The sector invests £13bn annually and delivers nearly £30bn in gross value, on top of the nearly £100bn in economic activity through its supply chain and interaction with other sectors, and supports over 700,000 jobs in every corner of the country. The energy industry is key to delivering growth and plans to invest £100bn over the course of this decade in new energy sources.

Our members are also highly active in the electric vehicle (EV) space, offering EV tariffs, smart charging and vehicle-to-grid, leasing and selling EVs either directly or in partnership with companies, and installing and operating chargepoints in homes, businesses, and in the public domain.

In this context, Energy UK welcomes the proposals in the Street Works Access consultation to ensure EV chargepoint operators (CPOs) are given access to permits rather than licenses when installing EV charging infrastructure. Swift mass uptake of EVs is vital in delivering our Net Zero energy system at the lowest cost. This policy change offers a pragmatic, faster, and cost-effective solution which will ease the EV charging infrastructure installation process necessary to meet the UK’s Net Zero target by 2050.

The policy change allows greater flexibility and agency for installers to fit chargepoints where there is demand without being hindered by lengthy application processes. Extending access to the Street Manager platform to CPOs will also allow a more joined-up approach to chargepoint installation as CPOs can manage their existing applications and can plan their installation process accordingly.

Given that CPOs often use contractors to install chargepoints on their behalf, it may be helpful to further extend access to the Street Manager platform to contractors via CPOs for a simpler installation process. Energy UK would also welcome a clear training program which outlines the relevant regulation changes, particularly regarding the verification process of EV CPOs, and how incurring fines will be managed between CPOs and contractors.

Energy UK wholeheartedly encourages the Government’s proactive engagement in finding simplified measures to support the EV infrastructure rollout. Energy UK supports the proposed changes, and looks forward to collaborating with the Government and our members to advance these initiatives.

Yours sincerely,

Louise Evans
Transport Policy Executive
louise.evans@energy-uk.org.uk