Agenda item

The Committee considered a report on the need for electric vehicle (EV) charging in the City of London. The report proposed an overarching policy on charging for electric vehicles, balancing the benefit of providing charging facilities within the Square Mile at appropriate locations whilst guarding against the generation of additional vehicle trips and minimising the impact on the public realm.

Members noted that the report proposed placing rapid charging points for taxis in Baynard House car park and raised concerns on this location, noting that charging points at taxi ranks might be more useful. Members added that the location in a car park might attract additional vehicles to the City solely to use the charging points.

Some Members raised their concerns on the low number of charging points proposed and stated that the City should lead the way in this field. Others considered the paper to set out a proportional response to the need for charging points and that in addition to taxis, private cars should be able to use the rapid charging points

The Director of Transportation and Public Realm explained that Officers had worked with TfL and consulted taxi drivers in order to offer the appropriate number of charging points in locations that would be used by drivers. Officers believed that at the current time, given the low number of zero emission taxis likely to be in service in 2018, the new provision would be adequate. It was important to provide a service to the vehicles within the City, but a balance had to be struck in order to ensure the charging points were not an attraction for drivers who did not ordinarily travel into the City, as this would exacerbate the issues of congestion and pollution. The Director also explained that a sample of taxi drivers had been consulted regarding the appropriateness of using Baynard House car park for the taxi charging points and that all consulted considered this appropriate given the local café nearby.

One Member suggested that if the large rapid charging points were not successful that officers should considering installing the smaller fast charging ( 22 KW) points. The Committee were reminded that the scheme was currently being funded by TFL whose legal advice was that the smaller charging points would be anti competitive given not all of the new electric taxis would be able to use these points to an equal effect.

Members noted that the Port Health had requested that the proposed review of the success of this charging strategy be brought forward from December 2018 to July 2018.

RESOLVED - To

1)           Approve the policy to support the installation of electric vehicle charge points at appropriate locations which will take into account the need to guard against additional vehicle trips and have minimal impact on the public realm;

2)            Approve the implementation of eight rapid charge points for taxis at Baynard House car park; and

3)            Approve the implementation on a trial basis of a rapid charge point at Noble Street taxi rest bay. To be reviewed and reported back to Planning

Transportation Committee after 6 months to determine whether it should be made permanent.