Roadchef has warned that limited grid capacity at motorway service areas could slow the UK’s electric vehicle transition unless urgent infrastructure upgrades are delivered.
The warning follows findings from the National Audit Office showing that only 10% of UK motorway service areas currently have enough grid capacity to meet forecast EV charging demand by 2035.
More than two million electric vehicles are now on UK roads, increasing pressure on charging infrastructure across the strategic road network.
Roadchef, which operates motorway service sites across the country, has secured 75-year lease extensions at five locations including Watford Gap. The company plans to install 1,000 EV charging bays by 2030.
Tim Gittins said motorway services were becoming “far more central” to the UK’s transport and economic ambitions.
He said: “Currently, grid availability is the biggest barrier to delivering high-powered EV charging infrastructure, particularly in rural and remote areas.
“If the UK is serious about equal EV access and the decarbonisation of freight, policy must address the grid constraints holding back infrastructure at vital points on the strategic road network.”
Roadchef said motorway service areas would play a critical role in supporting cleaner passenger and freight transport while helping reduce concerns around long-distance EV travel.
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