Hillingdon Council has no plans to install any new electric vehicle (EV) charging points, despite the borough being one of the worst in London for EV charging.

The Prime Minister, also MP for Uxbridge, has pledged that all UK car sales will be electric or hybrid by 2030, and sales of electric cars are rising in the UK, with the Guardian reporting a surge in sales in recent months. 

This increase in popularity has left a greater need for access to charging points.

It is estimated that only 40% of Londoners have access to their own private parking space, meaning that most people are reliant on on-street or other publicly available charging spaces if they want to purchase an electric vehicle.

Adam Heritage, an NHS IT manager who lives in a flat without private parking in central Uxbridge, has repeatedly asked the council for EV charging points to be installed.

Heritage said that he is still waiting for some sort of action from the council, despite starting conversations back in February.

He last heard from Cllr John Riley on 22 March, who said that the council “will begin to roll out a programme of charging points” once they had been presented with “viable programmes and proposals”. 

Despite repeated follow-up messages from Heritage, no further response has been received to date.

In other conversations with members of the council, Heritage was told that there had been an increase in queries from residents, and that the council would consider installing charging points if they received enough requests from residents living in a similar area.

There are currently no instructions on Hillingdon Council’s website about how residents can submit requests for a charging point, nor does it state that residents are required to do this. 

When asked, the council did not clarify how many residents would need to contact them for an EV charging point to be considered.

With the Ultra Low Emissions Zone set to be extended in October, a lot of Hillingdon residents like Heritage may be put off changing their vehicle to an electric model because there is no clear messaging that the council is waiting for them to make the first move. 

“I cannot believe people this incompetent actually work and get high positions,” Heritage said of the council staff he has spoken with so far.

Despite council assurances that “most” public car parks offer free overnight charging, currently only five do so (out of 11 public car parks with EV charging points).

A further two offer free charging after 6pm, but do not remain open overnight and the remaining car parks close overnight and do not offer any free or reduced evening parking fees.

The nearest of the five car parks offering free overnight parking is over half an hour away on foot from Heritage’s home.

Meanwhile, the council offices have EV chargers installed which can be used for free by council staff.

“The fact that the council has free EV charging for the staff, but Hillingdon residents have nothing, just sums it all up,” said Heritage.

Hillingdon Council said: “Like many local authorities, the council is exploring various options aimed at improving accessibility to public EVCP infrastructure and will announce these proposals in due course.”