To consider the outcome of the electric vehicle charging pilot and next steps. The item will be introduced by Councillor Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Sarah Hassenpflug, Sustainable City Projects Officer.

Councillors Lloyd-Shogbesan and Bely-Summers left the meeting during this item.

The report was  introduced by Councillor Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Sarah Hassenpflug, Sustainable City Projects Officer. The report described the outcome of the electric vehicle charging pilot and next steps. Councillor Hayes said that in parallel with the introduction of the ZEZ it was appropriate to provide every inducement to move to more sustainable forms of transport.

In discussion the following matters were raised or discussed  among others.

·         The Committee welcomed the excellent research and  clear recommendations which provided a solid foundation for future work in this area.

·         A key question for the future would be whether charging for electric vehicles will be predominantly via centralised locations or distributed more thinly and widely. Domestic charging was attractive because of a potentially low tariff.  Centralised charging seemed more likely to be the main focus in the longer term but it was too early to give a definitive answer as to the future balance that needed to be struck  between centralised and dispersed infrastructure.

·         Decisions about future investment would need to be informed to some extent by the final answer.

·         It was recognised that the cost of electric vehicles (EVs)was currently prohibitive for many people and it was important to mitigate this inherent inequality as much as possible. 

·         Promoting the benefits of EVs (environmental and long term cost benefits) was important as well “busting the myths” surrounding EVs such  as their range etc.

·         It was noted the presence of on street charging facilities and EVs of themselves encouraged investment by others in that locality.

·         The use  of ‘cable gullies’  which would take charging cables to residential premises was a potentially safe and viable option for those wishing to charge at home in the future.

·         Charging points for electric bikes would be welcome.

·         Cllr Hayes and officers met representatives of the Hackney Cab taxi trade on a very regular basis. Meetings with representatives of the private hire business was more difficult in the absence of a representative body. 

The Committee makes the following recommendation to Cabinet.

1)    That electric bikes are included within the matrix of the Council’s future strategy for improving usage of ultra-low emissions forms of transport, particularly in regard to the availability of electric bike hire and electric bike charging points.