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Boris Johnson: UK will lead world on electric cars
Katharine Barney19 May 2009
Boris Johnson today outlined plans to set up thousands of vehicle charging points across London and make Britain the “electric car capital of Europe”.
Work will begin to put refuelling points at Tube stations by the end of the year, with others in shopping centre car parks at offices and in residential streets. The scheme is expected to cost £60 million, funded by the Government, the GLA and the private sector. It is part of Mr Johnson's pledge to cut carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025.
Under the revised London Plan all new developments with more than five parking spaces will have to provide charging facilities for a fifth of them. The Mayor plans to have 25,000 charging points across the city by 2015, serving 100,000 vehicles. He said: “London has today launched a comprehensive plan to make the UK the electric vehicle capital of Europe.”
He made the announcement in front of mayors from other leading world cities at a climate change conference in the South Korean capital, Seoul.
“Car manufacturers are gearing up to make electric vehicles a common choice for consumers in just a few years' time,” he said. “City leaders across the world must rise to the challenge of creating the right conditions to support their usage.”
Individual boroughs' schemes, in which residents pay an annual fee and then get free charging are to be integrated into a London-wide plan.
Westminster charges £200 a year for those with electric vehicles, but offers free parking in public car parks. In Richmond the permit for on street parking for an average car costs £90 a year but is free for electric vehicles.
Electric cars will continue to be exempt from the congestion charge. London now has a network of 100 charging points in roads and car parks, but the Mayor intends to increase this by around 50 this year and 100 next year.
There will be “slow charging points” allowing cars to be refuelled overnight and industrial-strength “rapid charging points” at petrol stations.
The Mayor aims to deliver 250 on-street charging points by 2012; 2,000 in public car parks by 2015; 50 fast charging points by 2012, and a further 200 by 2015. Private offices are expected to deliver 22,500.
City Hall plans to introduce 1,000 electric vehicles by 2015 and discussions are being held with Olympic chiefs to include significant numbers in the 2012 fleet.
Reader views (6)
NUCLEAR BORRIS - Not in my County
I am disgusted with the media (and Borris) going on about "zero emission" electric cars. These vehicles create polution and C02 in my back yard viz: Didcot Power Station. I dont want London to export it's polution to Berks/Oxon. Furthermore if we ramp up use of electricity so quickly the only way to realistically meet the demand is through Nuclear Power. This is more or less polution free so why don't we build the station in Westminster?
- Martin P, Berkshire England, 16/12/2009 21:24
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Paul, London
you are right.
- Ashgl, UK London, 16/12/2009 20:24
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What was the size of Boris' carbon footprint when he announced this in Seoul? Very environmentally friendly.
- Andrew, Gloucestershire, 16/12/2009 20:24
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I thought the idea was to get cars off the London streets? Why not concentrate on electric buses and cabs? An electric car is fine if you just want to take yourself and a small bag a mile or two, but outside the city they are as useful as a horse and cart due to range and recharging times. Want to make a return journey to Wales to drop off student son and all his paraphenalia? Sorry, but a G-Wiz just isn't up to it!
- Paul, London, 16/12/2009 20:24
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I thought I had voted for a Conservative mayor - Johnson seems as wedded to pinko liberal airy-fairy ideas as Ken, if not more so. A huge disappointment.
- The Gene Genie, Croydon, 16/12/2009 20:24
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Until the electric car can carry two adults, two kids, a pushchair, travel cot, over night bags, bikes and all my wifes cosmetics at 70mph to my parents without stopping every 6 miles to recharge for three hours I will stick with my Alfa Romeo thanks.
Try scrapping the bus-lanes and speed humps in London to allow the traffic to flow at more efficient speeds if you want to reduce emissions. Please don’t be so patronising to suggest that half a dozen of these supped-up electric wheelchairs will make any difference.
- Ben, London, W1, 16/12/2009 20:24
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