Mayor of London has been asked to boost uptake of EVs with hard-hitting new measures.
Electric vehicles could be given free or discounted parking in London if the city’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, follows hard-hitting measures recommended in a new report.
The London Assembly Environment Committee report, published today, says “60% of Londoners do not have their own garage or driveway” and would therefore need to rely on on-street charging.
“Encouraging Londoners without their own driveway or garage to get an electric vehicle is the biggest challenge for take-up, as concerns about charging points are deep-rooted,” it says.
To convince more people to make the switch to an electric car, the report recommends all London boroughs make parking free or discounted for electric vehicles. It suggests doing this in the short-term only to “drive the take up”.
A similar system is already offered in Milton Keynes, where drivers of electric cars can apply for a green permit free of charge and use 15,000 parking spaces. London’s Westminster City Council also offers EV drivers lower parking rates, allowing them to pay the miminum fee but receive the maximum parking allowance of four hours.