Wales needs more car charging points
MY wife and I have just been on holiday in Scotland. Nothing unusual in that – except that we managed to
drive the whole way in our electric car, a Nissan Leaf. Whilst our old diesel car emits both carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides, the electric vehicle emits nothing. And being Ecotricity customers (guaranteed wind-generated electricity) and Scotland gets two thirds of its electricity from wind power (in which it leads the world) and other nonfossil fuel sources, we can justifiably claim to have travelled without any pollution whatsoever.
Scotland is encouraging the use of more electric vehicles and most of the EV charging points are free. Their network of rapid charge points is not totally comprehensive, but it is extensive enough for us to have travelled as far north as Lochinver, north of Ullapool. To be of use to EV drivers on the move, charge points must be of the “rapid charge” type which will charge your battery to at least 80-90 % in less than an hour.
There are, of course, mobile phone apps which show where rapid charge points are to be found. Zap-Map is one of the best. Applying the filter for rapid charge points is instructive. Zoom out so that the whole of the UK is visible, and you can’t fail to notice that there is a Wales-shaped hole; a near-total absence of rapid chargers in the whole of Wales. North Wales has just three; one in Holyhead and one at each of the Kinmel services on the A55 near Rhyl. You have to go right down to the M4 in the south to find any others. The University city of Bangor has nothing; likewise, Aberystwyth and Aberteifi/Cardigan. And what about the Brecon Beacons National Park or the popular Wye Valley? Nothing. Not one rapid charger anywhere. There is only one exception – a very recently installed rapid charging point south of Machynlleth (well done, Cletwr community!) The rest of Wales is a black hole and something of a disgrace. It shouldn’t be like this.
Even the remotest, sparsely-populated counties of north-west Scotland are better supplied. The huge county of Gwynedd and the Snowdonia National Park have in excess of four million visitors every year, most of whom come by car. Yet there isn’t a single rapid charging point to be found anywhere. It is now relatively easy to travel all over the UK in an EV, but not in Wales.
Why is Wales lagging so far behind the rest of the UK? Our Future Generations Act means that this country is supposed to take climate change seriously, which means we must urgently begin to move away from fossil-fuelled transport. It is surely time for the government to address this issue – and fast. And maybe it is. The Transport Secretary for Wales Ken Skates said earlier this month “We are committed to promoting the use of electric and hybrid vehicles in the transition from petrol and diesel.” Fine words, but let’s see some rapid action on rapid chargers. As for us, we have decided to take the obvious much bigger plunge and get rid of the diesel car. It’s for sale now in AutoTrader.