The government published a 30-point "plan for drivers" on 2 October 2023, setting out measures it says will speed up the electrification of road transport while pushing back against perceived anti-car measures1. The publication followed the government's decision to delay the end of sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030 to 20351. The plan contains 30 actions under five headings: "Smoother journeys"; "Stopping unfair enforcement"; "Easier parking"; "Inconsiderate driving"; and the "Transition to zero emission vehicles"1.
On charging, the measures include a review of the grid connections process for EV chargepoints with the aim of accelerating it, which will apply to England, Scotland and Wales; a consultation on measures to speed up the approvals process for chargepoint installation; dedicated support for schools to install chargepoints using existing grants, UK-wide; and a widening of eligibility for EV chargepoint grants to include cross-pavement solutions, also UK-wide, to make EV ownership more practical for those without off-street parking1. The plan also promises guidance on the use of safe cross-pavement solutions, a consultation on expanding permitted development rights so private chargepoint installation is cheaper and easier, and a commitment to "work with industry to myth-bust concerns about EVs", UK-wide1.
The myth-busting commitment was taken up later in October, when MPs from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Electric Vehicles backed the #StopBurningStuff initiative, launched by the campaign group FairCharge and Robert Llewellyn's Fully Charged SHOW to counter anti-EV rhetoric2. Representatives from The REA, FairCharge and The Fully Charged SHOW addressed a meeting of the group on Tuesday 24 October, which the REA said was organised to discuss the Prime Minister's decision to push back the end of sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 20352.
"The levels of poorly researched misinformation circulating about electric cars and batteries is unprecedented. Debunking the myths that have become embedded should be an urgent priority for the Government."
The REA, which acts as Secretariat for the APPG on EVs and runs the EV trade group RECHARGE UK, said its poll had highlighted "significant market uncertainty" stemming from the Prime Minister's speech2. Matt Western, chair of the APPG and Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, said the change was "disastrous for consumers who want to do the right thing but are now unsure of whether to buy" and for manufacturers needing certainty before major investment decisions2. The #StopBurningStuff campaign is compiling a compendium of facts, figures and infographics for media and others to use2.
The plan's foreword states that the shift to cleaner vehicles makes anti-driver measures increasingly unjustified, adding: "We can decarbonise and maintain our freedoms"1. The International Energy Agency said countries that water down green policies risk worsening the climate crisis and damaging their own economies1.
Why it matters for households
For a household weighing up an electric car, several of the plan's measures touch directly on the practical barriers to charging at home. Cross-pavement solutions matter to the many homes without a driveway, where a cable must cross public pavement to reach a car parked on the street; the plan widens grant eligibility for these and promises guidance on using them safely1. Faster approvals and any expansion of permitted development rights would affect how quickly and cheaply a private chargepoint can be installed1. Grid connection times affect how soon new chargepoints, including on-street ones, can be energised1. The myth-busting commitment, and the parliamentary activity around it, concern the information households receive when deciding whether an electric vehicle suits them2. The delay to the 2030 date changes the timeline against which a household might judge the resale value and longevity of a petrol or diesel car, though the plan itself does not set out what replaces that date1. The plan does not report any change to the rate of VAT on public charging, which remains higher than on domestic electricity.
What happens next
The plan sets out consultations rather than concluded decisions: on speeding up the approvals process for chargepoint installation, and on expanding permitted development rights for private chargepoints1. The REA said it hoped the information presented to MPs would help inform their voting decisions before the 2035 date is voted on later in 20232. No further dates for those consultations have been reported.