The Government has announced hat it is ‘cutting red tape’ on public charge point installation as it continues to facilitate the switch from internal combustion engine cars to electric vehicles.
Under the changes, installation costs for public charge points could be slashed from as much as £1,000 to as little as £45. Moreover, approval waiting times are expected to be reduced from several months to a few days.
The public charge point installation process has been made easier thanks to amendments made to the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 and to the Traffic Management Permit Scheme Regulations 2007, reports EV Powered.co.uk.
The changes remove the need for lengthy section 50 licence applications and allow charge point operators (CPOs) to work through a digital applications process called Street Manager.Street Manager is already used by highway authorities and utility companies across England and is expected to reduce administrative burdens for CPOs by streamlining bureaucracy.
The news was received favourably by industry experts. Jarrod Birch, the head of policy and public affairs at Charge UK, a lobbying group aimed at speeding up the UK’s public charging infrastructure network, was among the leading voices
“Streamlining the process for charge point operators to apply for street works is a very positive move,” he said. “ChargeUK has been calling since its inception for the Government to cut this red tape. It will help speed up the deployment of the hundred thousand on-street local charge points we are expecting to install in the next two to three years.“
However, there remains a lot more for the Government to do if it wants to fully back the businesses at the heart of the EV revolution. Addressing the full cost burden for charge point operators, which is largely driven by energy and standing charges, is critical.“Tackling surging standing charges, equalising VAT with home charging and committing to stable policy through a robust ZEV mandate are the highest priorities for the charging industry to invest even more quickly in infrastructure.
”These latest changes are another significant step from Sir Kier Starmer’s Government regarding the EV transition. In addition to the Electric Car Grant and providing £600 million to expand the 118,000-strong public charging network, the government introduced a pro-EV campaign centred around financial savings earlier this year.Moreover, the appetite for EVs in the UK has increased since the start of the Iran War.
Recent data from AutoTrader shows that interest in new and used electric vehicles has increased by 28% and 15% respectively, due to rising fuel costs resulting from the conflict.
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