Electric vehicles and our on-street chargepoint rollout

Contents

What are Electric Vehicles?

Electric vehicles (EVs) are cars, vans and other motor vehicles that have battery powered electric motors instead of a petrol or diesel engine. This removes the exhaust pipe emissions generated by petrol and diesel engines that lead to climate change and poor air quality in our communities.

The sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned in the UK from 2030, and many car manufacturers now offer a selection of electric vehicles within their range.

Hybrid vehicles have both a petrol or diesel and an electric motor that reduces exhaust pipe emissions, but they will no longer be sold after 2035 as only cars with zero carbon emissions will be sold beyond that date.


Types of Electric Vehicle

There are four main types of electric vehicle:

  • Fully electric vehicles, known as a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV): a vehicle solely powered by batteries which needs to be plugged in to be charged. Sold beyond 2030 and 2035.
  • Plug in range extended vehicle, known as an Extended-Range Electric Vehicle (E-REV): a vehicle powered by batteries, but with a small petrol/diesel generator fitted, that can help extend the range of the vehicle by topping up the batteries while driving. Decision awaited on whether these will be sold beyond 2035.
  • Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV): A vehicle which can be powered both by electric and a conventional diesel/petrol. It can both be plugged in and fuelled conventionally. The vehicle is driven by either or both engines to generate maximum efficiency. Sale of new PHEV cars banned from 2035.
  • Conventional hybrid, known as a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV): these vehicles have a conventional petrol/diesel engine that is supported by an electric motor, which means higher carbon emissions than any of the above types of vehicle.

Electric vehicles are usually extremely quiet to drive and do not produce exhaust emissions They cannot however be considered emission free, since generating electricity in the UK produces greenhouse gases which translate into carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of on average 70 grams per kilometre for fully electric cars.


Electric Vehicle uptake

EV ownership increased in the UK from 2,254 new registrations in 2012 to almost 110,000 in 2020 and an estimated 477,000 in June 2022.

Surrey's public chargepoint locations

The number of public chargepoints is growing daily and your employer may also provide a chargepoint at your workplace. There are several public charging networks operating in the Surrey area. To find your nearest chargepoint, try one of these sites:

Below is a list of the on-street chargepoints in Surrey. Some locations are not yet operational, these are detailed in the table below. The tables will be updated as chargepoints become live. To charge your EV you will be required to pay both a charging fee and parking fee, if applicable. Charging fees will be in line with the national average and subject to changes. Charging fees will be in line with the local and regional average and subject to changes. Charging fees are currently 40p per kilowatt hour (kWh) which may be subject to change.

Waverley

Location

Number of chargepoints

Charging fee

Parking fee

Maximum stay time and enforcement hours

Farnham Lane, Haslemere

4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm

Hale Road, Farnham

2

40p per kilowatt hour

None

4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm

Summers Road, Godalming

4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm

Catteshall Lane, Godalming

6

40p per kilowatt hour

None

Currently no electric vehicle specific parking restrictions. Please refer to signage on site for any other parking restrictions.

Station Road, Farncombe 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

Currently no electric vehicle specific parking restrictions. Please refer to signage on site for any other parking restrictions.

Spelthorne

Location

Number of chargepoints

Charging fee

Parking fee

Maximum stay time and enforcement hours

Knowle Green, Staines Upon Thames

4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm

High Street (North) – Thurlestone Parade, Shepperton

4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm

Corinthian Way (Clare Road), Stanwell

4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm

Church Road (St Matthews Church), Ashford

4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm

Woodthorpe Road, Ashford

4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

Currently no electric vehicle specific parking restrictions. Please refer to signage on site for any other parking restrictions.

Richmond Road, Staines 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None 4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6pm.
Bingham Drive, Staines 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None 4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6pm.

Woking

Location

Number of chargepoints

Charging fee

Parking fee

Maximum stay time and enforcement hours

Church Street East, Woking

4

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are every day from 8.30am to 10pm

Oriental Road, Woking

4

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are every day from 8.30am to 10pm

Maybury Road, Woking

4

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are every day from 8.30am to 10pm

Montgomery Road, Woking

4

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are every day from 8.30am to 10pm

Lavender Park Road, West Byfleet

4

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

Currently no electric vehicle specific parking restrictions. Please refer to signage on site for any other parking restrictions.

Elm Road, Woking 4 40p per kilowatt hour Local car parking charges apply Not yet operational
Hill View Road, Woking 4 40p per kilowatt hour Local car parking charges apply 4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 6pm.
Midhope Road, Woking 4 40p per kilowatt hour Local car parking charges apply 4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 6pm.
Royston Avenue, West Byfleet 4 40p per kilowatt hour None Not yet operational

Guildford

Location

Number of chargepoints

Charging fee

Parking fee

Maximum stay time and enforcement hours

Wodeland Avenue, Guildford

5

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 6pm. No return within one hour.

London Road, Guildford

4

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 9pm. No return within one hour.

Pewley Hill, Guildford

4

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

Electric vehicle charging Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 6pm with a maximum stay of two hours and no return within one hour. Permit holder parking Monday to Saturday from 6pm to 9pm and Sunday 8.30am to 9pm.

Quarry Street, Guildford

4

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

Electric vehicle charging Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 6pm with a maximum stay of two hours and no return within one hour. Permit holder parking Monday to Saturday from 6pm to 9pm and Sunday 8.30am to 9pm.

Jenner Road, Guildford

3

40p per kilowatt hour

Local car parking charges apply

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8.30am to 9pm. No return within one hour.

Nettles Terrace, Guildford 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

Not yet operational
Onslow Road, Guildford 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. EV's only or permit holders A Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6pm. No return within one hour.
Recreation Road, Guildford 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. EV's only or permit holders E Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6pm. No return within one hour.
Stocton Road, Guildford 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. EV's only or permit holders E Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6pm. No return within one hour.
William Road, Guildford 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. EV's only or permit holders A Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6pm. No return within one hour.

Mole Valley

Location Number of chargepoints Charging feeParking feeMaximum stay time and enforcement hours
Church Street, Leatherhead 4 40p per kilowatt hour None

4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

Copthorne Road, Leatherhead 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

Holmesdale Road, Dorking 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

London Road, Dorking 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

4 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

Runnymede

Location Number of chargepoints Charging fee Parking fee Maximum stay time and enforcement hours
St Pauls Road, Egham 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

Victoria Street, Englefield Green 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

Station Parade, Virginia Water 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

Not yet operational

London Street, Chertsey 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

Egham High Street, Egham 4

40p per kilowatt hour

None

2 hours maximum stay. Enforcement hours are Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm.

The chargepoints are compatible with all EV models, but the maximum charging speed will depend on the make and the model of the vehicle.

The chargepoints to date are Alfen Twin point chargepoints. Where footways are sufficiently wide, the chargepoints are located on the footway. Where this is not possible, build outs are being constructed to locate the chargepoints.

How to use the on-street electric vehicle chargepoints

Using the chargepoints

To charge your vehicle, you need to park in the EV space, plug your car into the chargepoint and then start the charge via the MER website or application. Once your car is charged you can unplug and move your car ready for the next user. Please bear in mind each chargepoint bay has a maximum stay time.

Paying for charging

Users will be able to pay for charging sessions without registering as a user.

You can pay for a session without registering as a MER user by going to the MER website and then providing payment card details.

Cost of charging

The cost of charging is applied for the power used; this tariff is currently 40p per kilowatt. This charge is in line with the national average and therefore subject to change.

If a parking fee applies in the area of the chargepoint then this will be applied to your bill in addition to any charging fees. The charging and parking costs will be integrated and payable together through MER.

Reporting an issue with a charger

If you are experiencing an issue with a MER charge point, please contact their 24 hours 7 days a week helpline on 020 3884 2768.

For non-urgent enquiries, please email: hello.uk@mer.eco

Enforcement

To use an EV bay during the signposted hours of operation, the vehicle must be an EV or plug in hybrid and it must be charging. With exceptions for loading and emergencies, any other vehicle parking in an EV bay could be committing an offence and liable to a penalty charge notice.

Requesting a public chargepoint

Requests for public on-street chargepoints can be made using our interactive map and survey.

Have your say today about Surrey EVs on Commonplace

Kerbside electric vehicle chargepoint trial

Overview

For electric vehicle (EV) users with off-street parking, charging at home is usually the cheapest and most convenient option. However, as trailing a cable across the pavement is considered unlawful in Surrey and most places across the UK, Surrey residents who don't have off-street parking cannot currently charge their EV at home.

New products are emerging to try and address this issue and make home charging more widely accessible.

We want to test two of these products in Surrey:

  1. Cable gullies - cable gullies are channels installed in the pavement that can be used to safely trail an EV charging cable across a pavement. Trials have been taking place in Oxfordshire.
  2. Trojan AON chargers – a charging point is installed in the pavement near the kerb and a cable laid underneath the pavement connecting it directly to a property's own electrical supply. A portable "lance" is needed to use the charging point. This product has been developed by Trojan Energy and has been trialed in the London Borough of Brent and Oxfordshire.

Please note that neither product gives residents the right to reserve a parking space by their house, and therefore you must be able to park there regularly to take part in these trials. In addition, please note that both trials are solely for residents who do not benefit from off-street parking.

Cable gullies

A cable gully electric vehicle charger installed with a channel in the pavement and the cable running through the channel.

Cable gullies are channels installed in the pavement that can be used to safely trail an EV charging cable across a pavement. Trials have been taking place in Oxfordshire.

How is the trial administered?

Surrey County Council will manage the installation and maintenance of the cable gullies. Their use will be controlled through a license issued by Surrey County Council to the resident. Surrey County Council will retain the ownership of the cable gullies.

How much will it cost me?

Costs to take part in the trial will be as follows:

  • £773 for the initial license and installation of the cable gully
  • £97 for the yearly license renewal

For the first year of the pilot this will also include the cost of a home wall charger installation, which will be arranged by the council.

How do I apply to take part in the trial?

Please note the survey is now closed to new applications while we complete the first round of cable gully installations. This survey may be reopened later in 2024, once we are ready to start reviewing locations for the second year of the trial.

There will be a two-stage process to select suitable sites.

If you would like to take part in the trial, please fill in the online form (stage one). This survey should take no more than five minutes to complete, and you will immediately find out whether your application is suitable to be progressed to stage two.

If you are successful with the stage one assessment, the EV team will conduct a more detailed site assessment and will be in touch to let you know whether you can be included in the trial.

I still have some questions, who do I contact?

Please email electricvehicles@surreycc.gov.uk for further information.

Trojan AON chargers

Please note that applications for the Trojan AON charger trial are now closed for this year.

Trojan AON electric vehicle charger installed on the kerbside and plugged into a vehicle parked at the kerb.

A charging point is installed in the pavement near the kerb, and a cable laid underneath the pavement connecting it directly to a property's own electricity supply. A portable "lance" is needed to use the charging point. This product has been developed by Trojan Energy.

How is the trial administered?

Surrey County Council will license Trojan Energy to install, maintain and operate AON chargers on Surrey's Highways. Residents wanting to take part into the pilot will then enter into a contract with Trojan Energy, not Surrey County Council.

Once installation is complete, Trojan Energy retains ownership of the asset throughout its life in both the highway and the user's property. The user pays for the lease and regular maintenance. Trojan AON users will have the option to make their charging point available to others, although this will be limited by the need to have a compatible Trojan Energy-provided lance and to belong to the same Controlled Parking Zone.

How much will it cost me?

Costs to take part in the trial will be as follows for full installation and ongoing management:

  • £99 including VAT per month – Trojan AON launch offer
  • Three-year minimum contract
  • All maintenance included

The Trojan AON product differs from gullies in that it can be shared (managed by Trojan Energy) across more than one local household to reduce the cost to the host. Trojan Energy can work out the sharing and associated pricing arrangements upon application.

How do I apply to take part in the trial?

Applications for the Trojan AON charger trial are now closed for this year.

Please visit the Trojan Energy website for more information.

I still have some questions, who do I contact?

Please visit Trojan Energy's website or alternatively contact support@trojan.energy quoting "Surrey Trial".

Trial outcomes

Surrey will be one of the first local authorities to pilot these products, therefore both solutions are initially being tested on a trial basis. The trials are expected to run for a minimum of three years.

We're proposing to install up to 30 cable gullies and 50 AON chargers in the first year of the trial, subject to demand, with new quotas agreed with Surrey County Council Highways each year thereafter. Quotas would be removed entirely at the end of the trials if they are deemed successful.

A number of factors will be monitored to ensure the success of the trials, including but not only:

  • Is there a demand for these products and do residents that have them installed keep renewing their license?
  • Do they cause issues in terms of highways maintenance, utilities, etc.?
  • Do they cause issues to other users of the highways and is the council receiving complaints about them?

Should it be decided that the cable gully trial is unsuccessful and that existing cable gullies should be removed, the residents will be reimbursed for their initial cost, but not the yearly license renewal. This doesn't apply to the Trojan AON charger, as costs to the users take the form of a monthly subscription.

What if I cannot take part in either trial?

These pilots are part of a suite of EV charging solutions that the council is working on deploying across Surrey. Surrey County Council has recently appointed Connected Kerb to install thousands of public EV chargepoints over the next five years across the county that may provide a suitable alternative to you in the meantime. Read the press release about our contract with Connected Kerb to find out more about on-street chargepoint installations.

EVs and the Local Transport Plan 4 (LTP4)

EVs and EV car clubs will be key in our aim to reduce the number of polluting vehicles on Surrey's roads to achieve net zero transport carbon emissions by 2050. Our policy area Promoting Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) policy area sets out our plans to increase uptake by providing more chargepoints across Surrey and raising awareness of the benefits of EVs.

Our LTP4 page for businesses explains how EV car club fleets and changes to goods deliver methods can help reduce carbon emissions.

Our Electric Vehicle strategy (currently under review) sets out how we will support and promote EV uptake in Surrey.

Switching to electric

If you are thinking of switching to an electric vehicle, you may find it helpful to read the Energy Saving Trust's information on making the switch and the Department for Transport's Beginners guide to going electric.

About Surrey's on-street electric chargepoint rollout

During a two year pilot scheme, from November 2019 to November 2021, that was funded by Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (EM3 LEP), 80 on-street fast (up to 22 kilowatts) charging points were installed across four boroughs in Surrey: Guildford, Woking, Spelthorne and Waverley.

In May 2022, Surrey was awarded funding from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)'s On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme to subsidise the installation of a further 110 chargepoint sockets across six boroughs and districts. Installations are scheduled to be completed by March 2023.

Questions and answers

Where can I charge my electric vehicle?

For some people who have off-street parking, most EV charging can take place at home. However, for a significant proportion of the population who do not have off-street parking, alternative charging facilities are required. The private sector is installing chargepoints, with more than 600 currently available across Surrey. The Districts and Boroughs in Surrey are responsible for many of the public car parks, and are installing EV chargepoints, with more than 70 in operation and more planned. We, Surrey County Council, as the highway authority are also trying to tackle the climate emergency by installing on-street chargepoints across the county.

The number of public chargepoints is growing daily and your employer may also provide a chargepoint at work. To find your nearest chargepoint, try one of these sites:

Requests for public chargepoints can be made using our interactive map Have your say today about Surrey EVs on Commonplace.

How much does an electric vehicle cost to charge?

Electric vehicle running costs are often lower than those of a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle. The costs of charging vary considerably depending on where you charge and the speed of the charge. The convenience of a faster chargepoint is often more expensive. It is usually most economical to charge an EV at home using your domestic electricity tariff. Where we have installed chargepoints on-street, the tariff will aim to be similar to comparable chargepoints.

Fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids are also exempt from the London congestion charge and become particularly cost effective for higher mileage drivers where their daily distance travelled is within the vehicle range or where charging is available at work.

How long does it take to charge an electric vehicle?

Charge times vary from model to model because of their battery size and the maximum charge rate they are designed to accept. There are a number of options for charging electric vehicles either in your home or at a public charging station.

  • 'Slow' points use a standard 3 to 7 kilowatts per hour (8 or more hours for a full charge)
  • 'Fast' points 7 to 22 kilowatts per hour (4 to 6 hours for a full charge)
  • 'Rapid' points 50 kilowatts per hour or greater (typically 80% charge in 40 minutes)

Ultra-fast chargepoints can deliver even faster charging speeds for those vehicles capable of higher charging rates.

How far can an electric vehicle travel without recharging?

The range of modern electric vehicles has been increasing over recent years and the latest consumer models have a range of 250 or even 300 miles on a full charge. Some models can have significantly shorter ranges of 100 miles or less and as batteries get older range may also be adversely affected.

What are we doing to increase availability of chargepoints?

We are intent on upholding our commitments to improving air quality and addressing the climate change emergency. We believe that the private sector has a significant role to play in providing EV chargepoints, be that in EV forecourts, supermarket and other retail car parks. Boroughs and districts in Surrey will also continue to play an important role by continuing to install chargepoints in public car parks.

Surrey County Council are currently working towards the wider rollout of EV on-street chargepoints across the county. We are preparing to scale up installations through the procurement of a long-term concession arrangement with the private sector funding and operating chargepoints.

We have already installed 80 chargepoints across four boroughs in Surrey, as part of our initial pilot for on-street chargepoints. We are now in the process of installing a further 110 on-street chargepoints across six districts and boroughs, and collecting information from people about where they would like chargepoints in future through our EV Map: Have your say today about Surrey EVs on Commonplace.

What about lamp post chargepoints?

Lamp post charging is not currently used by the council, as it only supports slow 3 to 5 kilowatt charging, equivalent to a standard 3 pin power outlet. We are looking to prioritise sites where 7 or 22 kilowatt dedicated charging devices can be installed, as these will typically lead to a faster charging experience and service more users in a given period of time.

However, we are considering lamp post charging as an option for locations where the available power supply or other local constraints do not support faster charging. We are compiling a long list of potential suitable locations across the county to evaluate. If you have any suggestions for suitable locations for lamp post charging within Surrey, please submit these to Have your say today about Surrey EVs on Commonplace.

Can I charge my electric vehicle outside my house?

If you have space on your own property with sufficient off-street space to park your vehicle, it is possible to have a dedicated fast charge point installed at your home. For guidance on applying for a dropped kerb at your property, including costs, please see our following webpage: Vehicle crossovers or dropped kerbs

To determine if you require planning permission to install electric charging points at your property, you will need to contact your district or borough council. We are often asked about trailing a charging cable from a property across a public footpath. Under the Highways Act 1980, Part IX Lawful and Unlawful Interference with Highways and Streets, it is illegal for any person to place or run a cable or wire along or across a public highway. Having the cable trail from a home, across the footway to a car may cause a safety hazard to pedestrians who are entitled to safely use the full width of the footway. Therefore, we do not allow this, although potential solutions will be kept under review.

We will continue to review research and trials into systems such as under pavement channelling to cater for charging cables and other Domestic Kerbside Charging solutions but at this time, we do not authorise such systems.

Requests for public chargepoints can also be made using our new interactive map and survey: Have your say today about Surrey EVs on Commonplace.

Funding for workplace or home EV charging?

Unfortunately, we do not offer any financial assistance for workplace or home charging infrastructure at this time. However, you may be eligible for some assistance available from government, through the EV chargepoint grant:

Grant schemes for electric vehicle charging infrastructure (GOV.UK)


Related links

Contact us

If you have any questions or comments, please email: electricvehicles@surreycc.gov.uk

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