Agenda item

Purpose:  To present the proposed Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Strategy to the Executive for approval.  This Strategy sits underneath the Environment Strategy and sets out the Council's current direction to promote and develop low emission vehicles and charging infrastructure in West Berkshire.

Resolved that the West Berkshire Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Strategy be approved and its actions as the Council’s direction for aiding the uptake of low emission vehicles in West Berkshire.

This decision is eligible to be ‘called-in’.  However, if the decision has not been ‘called-in’ by 5.00pm on 10 September 2020, then it will be implemented.

The Executive considered a report (Agenda Item 7) concerning the proposed Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy.

Councillor Richard Somner stated that this Strategy sat underneath the Environment Strategy and set out the Council’s current direction to promote and develop low emission vehicles and charging infrastructure in West Berkshire. It provided a sound platform to build upon. Vehicle licensing data from the Department for Transport set out that there were 119,664 vehicles registered in the district in 2019 of which 1,007 were ULEV (0.84%). In 2019 for the UK as a whole ULEV’s represented 0.68% of the vehicles registered which suggested that West Berkshire was slightly above the average ULEV uptake.

It was noted that work needed to begin on the actions within this proposed Strategy as soon as practical in order to build on existing use and improve uptake in the district promptly.

The Government might bring forward the requirement for all new vehicles to be electric to 2035, however, if the aims of the Environment Strategy were to be achieved, transport emissions needed to decrease rapidly and ideally be zero by 2030. Any delay effectively reduced the chance of achieving this by delaying measures to increase low emission vehicle uptake.

Councillor Somner in summarising stated that this was a rapidly changing sector but the strategy enabled the Council to plan and build upon the work already started and to keep it under review.

The report was seconded by Councillor Steve Ardagh-Walter who fully endorsed the report. He agreed that this was a rapidly evolving sector which provided a number of consumer choices. He anticipated that over the next 3-4 years there would be even more purchases of electric vehicles. Hopefully the Strategy would encourage people to buy electric as it set out a framework.

Councillor Adrian Abbs noted that the Government was thinking about bringing forward the date for all new vehicles to be electric from 2035 to 2030. The Council’s aim was to have zero emissions in the district by 2030. He felt that there seemed to be a lack of ambition and the Council should have a Zero Emission Strategy in place as otherwise the target date of 2030 would not be achievable.  He also queried when the document had been drafted as it seemed to be out of date in some places and he therefore felt that the document should remain in draft form. Councillor Richard Somner agreed that this was an area which was evolving rapidly. Not everyone would be able to afford an electric vehicle and consequently there was a need to be realistic in order to bring the public and businesses on board. The strategy had been in draft form for some time and had been through various Boards and therefore the document would look slightly dated. However, it was a snapshot in time and would be reviewed on a regular basis through the Transport Advisory Group and the Environment Advisory Group. He would take the comments made by Councillor Abbs on board and he welcomed his engagement on this issue. Councillor Abbs stated that the outcome that all Members were aiming for was the same but he was asking Councillor Somner to consider a change in order to get ultra-levels down to zero.

Councillor David Marsh stated that the biggest problem was that some charging points were inaccessible as people tended to park in them who were not using electric vehicles. He felt that dedicated bays should be provided and he asked how that process could be accelerated in order to encourage people to take up the purchase of electric vehicles. Councillor Somner disagreed as he felt that the reason people were not buying electric cars was due to the cost – the cost needed to come down. The Council had a strategy and a plan in place and it could look at moving some of the charging units if necessary – this was something that would be reviewed regularly. However, it was possible for people to have a charge point in their home.

Councillor David Marsh also asked if consideration could be given to taxis and the possibility of having more attractive licence fees if an operator used electric vehicles. The strategy seemed to be vague on this and he felt that this was an area where the Council should move more quickly as there was a willingness to embrace this by the taxi operators. Councillor Somner did not dispute the issue with taxis, however, a wide spectrum of discussion was required in terms of licensing, location and charging rates but he would ensure that this was something which was implemented as quickly as possible. Councillor Graham Bridgman referred to a discussion which had taken place at a Licensing Committee and his recollection was that there had been an issue with different fees for different vehicles but he would need to come back to Councillor Marsh on that.

RESOLVED that the Strategy and its actions be approved as the Council’s direction for aiding the uptake of low emission vehicles in West Berkshire.

Reason for the decision: To approve the Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy which would enable Officers involved to work to a plan of action to help assist vehicle take up and annually report back to Environment Board on progress.

Other options considered: To do nothing.