Electric vehicles

St Helens Borough Council declared a Climate Emergency in July 2019 and together with our partner organisations we are aiming to make the borough net zero by 2040. Additionally, national government has plans to end the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, and sales of electric vehicles are already rising rapidly across the country at large. We support a transition to Zero Emission Vehicles because:

· We are committed to tackling our climate emergency, with the target of a net zero borough by 2040 including a commitment to transitioning to an EV fleet and encouraging wider uptake of EVs across the Borough as outlined in our climate response plan.

· Policy LPA07: Transport and Travel of our local plan requires new developments to include appropriate provision of charging points for electric vehicles and provide for parking in accordance with the Council's minimum standards.

· We aim to improve air quality and minimise carbon emissions as outlined in the Council's strategic priorities for the local transport network which is included in our local plan

Electric vehicles offer an equivalent driving experience to conventional vehicles but create significantly less pollution at the tailpipe. Access to public and private charging infrastructure is always improving. St Helens Borough Council is looking to increase electric vehicle uptake in the borough.

Electric vehicles are broken down into three main types:

· Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) - these rely solely on electricity and can travel between 100 and 300 miles on a single charge. They do not produce any tailpipe emissions.

· Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) - these are vehicles that have a battery, electric drive motor and an internal combustion engine (ICE) but following the UK governments ban on petrol and diesel, PHEV'S will not be sold beyond 2030.

· Extended Range EV (E-REV) - these are a version of plug-in hybrids. However, following the UK governments ban on petrol and diesel E-REV's will not be sold beyond 2030. You can find your nearest electric vehicle chargepoint using Zap Map. Information on government grants for electric vehicle chargepoints can be accessed on the GOV.UK website.

You can find your nearest electric vehicle chargepoint using Zap Map. Information on government grants for electric vehicle chargepoints can be accessed on the GOV.UK website. Useful background information on EVs, chargers and benefits can be found at Energy Saving Trust.

Residential On-Street Charging Provision

St Helens Borough Council Highway Authority cannot, currently, support the installation of privately owned electric vehicle charge points on, adjacent to, or over, the public highway. In the interests of highway safety and in respect of future maintenance, the Highway Authority are not able to permit the trailing of cables, even with the use of an overlay or recessed grid across a public highway or footpath, or the channelling of cables under the footpath. This is due to public liability issues, including the risk of trip hazards and more complex electrical safety issues at the point of use.

St Helens Borough Council Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy

The council has adopted an electric vehicle charging infrastructure strategy setting out policies and an approach to supporting the delivery of an appropriate charging infrastructure across the borough. Please do read our  Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy (PDF) [15MB] (opens new window) .