The roll-out of charging points for electric cars has slammed into reverse.
Industry figures show that 10,519 public chargers were installed in the UK in the first seven months of the year – or just under 50 a day.
This is below the 54 a day built last year and will fuel fears that the electric vehicle (EV) revolution targeted by ministers in a push to Net Zero has stalled.
As part of Labour’s green agenda a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is due in 2030.
But critics said not enough has been done to bolster the charging network, fuelling ‘range anxiety’ as motorists worry where they can top up their batteries.
Quentin Willson, the former Top Gear presenter and founder of the EV campaign group Fair Charge, said: ‘The Government needs to do more to reassure combustion car drivers that they will be able to charge their EVs if they switch to electric.
Shocking: The roll-out of charging points for electric cars has slammed into reverse
‘Labour had plenty of time in opposition to craft a long-term EV strategy, but since coming into office they’ve wasted over a year creating hollow headlines but little meaningful EV policy.
‘The front bench don’t drive, own or charge EVs, but expect drivers to switch. If they’d showed leadership by example, perhaps we’d have the charging infrastructure Britain needs.’
Britain needs to build around 130 chargers a day to reach a target of having 300,000 public charging points by 2030.
The shortage has been highlighted as a reason why demand for electric cars has dwindled.
Drivers have also been put off by the high price of EVs, which are typically more expensive than petrol and diesel alternatives.
The Government this summer announced plans to give motorists up to £3,750 to switch to EVs in a desperate bid to boost demand to meet net zero targets.
Conservative transport spokesman Richard Holden has accused the Government of ‘hammering drivers with tax hikes’ and leaving ‘Britain parked on the hard shoulder of the global economy’.
He added: ‘Labour’s net zero car plan is running on empty. Families were told electric cars would be affordable and practical, but with rising costs and nowhere to charge them, that’s clearly nonsense.’
Some 19,834 public charging points were installed across Britain in 2024, according to industry website Zapmap – up 19pc on the 16,602 in 2023.
But in the first seven months of this year, only 10,519 have been built, or 49.6 a day. There are now 84,218 public charging points across the country.
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: ‘We’re investing over £4bn to accelerate the switch to EVs.
‘With a further £63m confirmed in July for charging infrastructure and nearly 20,000 public chargers added to the network last year, there’s never been a better time to switch.’
