In November 2020 the government announced it would phase-out the sale of new petrol and diesel vans by 2030 and that all new cars and vans sold must be fully zero emission by 2035. The accessibility and convenience of vehicle charging, along with ‘recharging anxiety’ is frequently raised by consumers as a constraint to the purchase of these vehicles. 

 

National Highways is committed to ensuring a comprehensive national network of plug in EV charge points every twenty miles on the Motorway Network. 

 

MSAs will play a significant role in the provision of EV charge points for electric cars. However, ensuring provision at existing MSAs is only one part of the equation. The location and spacing of MSAs is also critical if a proper network is to be established. 

 

Where large gaps exist between existing MSAs, as is the case in this area, then the benefits of the new charging facilities will not be fully realised, acting as a drag on the uptake of EVs for longer distance journeys.