Improving Community Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

On the 22^{nd of} November 2021, the Government announced that new homes and buildings such as supermarkets and workplaces, as well as those undergoing a major renovation, will be required to install electric vehicle (EV) charge points from next year [1].

Up to 145,000 extra charge points will be installed across England each year thanks to these regulations. In 2030, the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars will end in the UK. Local authorities are now considering ways to make their areas more EV ready in the lead up to the end of petrol-powered vehicles.

Haringey Council

The London Borough of Haringey is in the north of the city. In the West of the Borough is Crouch End and Alexandra Palace and the East is home to Tottenham Hotspurs football club [2].

They are striving to deliver an increase in the number of EV’s used by businesses and residents who need cars. They also aspire:

Wood Green – Neighbourhood of the Future

Haringey is one of six boroughs awarded funding from Transport for London and the Mayor of London to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles.

Wood Green High Road is the beating heart of Haringey and draws in nearly a quarter of a million shoppers, visitors, and employees from across the Borough and beyond each week. Consequently, it has the highest level of air pollution in the Borough.

The Neighbourhood of the Future project is based between Wood Green and Turnpike Lane underground stations. Whilst the focus of the project is in Wood Green, there are plans to increase the number of electric charging points throughout the Borough.

The project will:

• Offer business and residents free trials of electric vehicles

• Install charging infrastructure including a rapid charging taxi rank

• Provide businesses with free support to review opportunities to switch to electric vehicles

• Electrify all car club bays in Wood Green

Informing Residents

Haringey Council had to decide how best to inform about the planned uptake of EV’s.

Electric Vehicle Days: The Council invited different car manufactures to put their cars along High Road in Wood Green to show people what EV’s look like.

During the day, different companies that use electric vehicles such as UberEats and Deliveroo drivers join the event. These delivery drivers often ride electric mopeds. They were targeted to present to them the funding mechanisms available for their vehicles, as well as sharing the benefits of EVs with the community.

Cleancar App:  The app was developed through a collaborative effort between Haringey Council and a startup that uses vehicle tracking and data analytics to monitor customer driving patterns and costs. After 2 months, it rounds up all the data into a report for the driver, providing recommendations for what kind of vehicle is best suited to them.

This allows people considering purchasing an EV to be better informed on the impact of their vehicle. The CleanCar system is aimed at three main groups of users:

Several electric vehicles have been distributed for residents and businesses as user trials and they are linked to car companies within the local area, acting as advertisements for them.

Additionally, the council have distributed trial EVs to driving instructors and free EV driving lessons to newly qualified drivers. By offering drivers in the local community the opportunity to trial these vehicles, it myth busts and reassures potential converters of the effectiveness of these vehicles.

Marketing

Haringey council designed four guides on installing EV charging points for:

• Developers
• Highway Engineers
• Businesses
• Residents

The production of the installation guides was funded by Transport for London, they are free to download.

The Council have developed a design hierarchy that ensures that all EV charging points are consistent with each other. They have developed a policy where no charging point should be installed on the pavement, instead, they should be installed into existing street furniture or into buildings.

Haringey have also developed an online EV charging point request form where residents or businesses can reach out to the council asking them to install a charging point near their property.

There is a need for rapid recharging point infrastructure for electric taxis. Haringey have installed faster-charging points in areas where taxis operate and stop, so they can continue to work quickly and efficiently.

Haringey council have also started to think about how charging points can generate income and there is an ambition that in the next year EV charging points will bring in circa 50-60 thousand pounds.

Demonstrating Leadership: They saw the importance of leading from the front in the push towards EV’s so Haringey ensured that their fleet of vehicles is electric.

Parking Charges: Currently most parking in London is based on carbon. Haringey have recommended a smarter parking package in which EV parking is the cheapest. This would work as an incentive for people to acquire an EV.

In Summary

Haringey Borough Council is pioneering the integration of EV infrastructure into local communities. They have worked hard to prepare their area for the switch to electricity and they have thought carefully about how to gently get residents and businesses accustomed to EV’s and charging infrastructure.

[1] GOV.UK. 2021. PM to announce electric vehicle revolution

[2] Baker, Joe. 2021. Head of Service – Carbon. Haringey Borough Council