Latest news with #TobyPoston
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Boost for holidaymakers as thousands of electric car chargers added all over country
A total of 1,849 chargepoints have been added to holiday spots all over the country, including national parks, theme parks and beach resorts Thousands of families and holidaymakers will be able to rent or drive an electric vehicle (EV) more easily this summer as chargepoints hit record numbers. A total of 1,849 chargepoints have been added to holiday spots all over the country, including national parks, theme parks and beach resorts. This means it will now be possible to enjoy a coast-to-coast escape from Manchester to Portland Bill and Chesil Beach in Dorset, covering almost 300 miles before plugging in at nearby chargers in Weymouth, while soaking up sea views and fresh air. Another route includes the scenic 270-mile journey from Norwich to the Brecon Beacons, where drivers can park up at the foot of Pen y Fan – one of Britain's best-loved mountain hikes – and recharge just minutes away in Brecon or Merthyr Tydfil. Holidaymakers can also go on a country house adventure from Leeds to Stourhead in Wiltshire, with 260 miles of driving to world-famous landscaped gardens where cars can be charged at the visitor car park. It comes after reports of a major change to drink-driving limit under huge shake-up of road safety laws plan. It also allows for a family-friendly trip from Brighton to Alton Towers, taking in the historical spires of Oxford and the rolling hills of the Peak District before arriving at the legendary theme park, where hotel guests and day-trippers alike can plug in and recharge. Drivers could also go from Cardiff to the Angel of the North, crossing through the Welsh Borders and England's heartland before reaching the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales and the historic city of Durham, where they can now charge their vehicles. The record chargepoint numbers come as families and holidaymakers can now save up to £3,750 when buying a new electric car due to the Government's £650 million Electric Car Grant (ECG) scheme – with 17 models available for discounts already via dealerships and more to follow in the coming weeks. There are now more than 83,800 public chargepoints available – and a new chargepoint added every half an hour. Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: 'We're making it easier than ever to go on holiday with your EV. Whether you're heading to the Brecon Beacons, Alton Towers or the ancient city of Durham, families and holidaymakers can get around with the confidence there will be plenty of chargepoints both en route and at their destination. With thousands more chargepoints in the pipeline and our Electric Car Grant offering discounts on new EVs, we're firmly putting range anxiety in the rear-view mirror, putting money back in people's pockets, and helping deliver our Plan for Change.' UK residents account for 106 million overnight stays across the country every year and the domestic tourism sector is worth over £30 billion annually to the economy. Toby Poston, BVRLA CEO said: 'The UK's rental sector plays a vital role in keeping summer travellers moving, and electric vehicles (EVs) are fast becoming a part of that story. Through the Bon VoyCharge campaign, we're highlighting that, for many journeys, it is easier than ever for holidaymakers to choose an EV. We are encouraging airports, businesses and attractions to invest in charging facilities, not only to help decarbonise our roads, but to attract more customers."
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Minister wants tourist attractions to ‘supercharge' EV infrastructure
It is vital that more tourist destinations offer electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints, a minister said. Lilian Greenwood, future of roads minister, met with tourism leaders at Staffordshire theme park Alton Towers to urge them to 'supercharge' the roll out of devices. She told the PA news agency: 'It's really important that people know that they can charge wherever they want to go, not just where they live. 'Even if people feel like they can do their day-to-day journeys to work, or the school run, or to the shops, they also want to be able to use their EV with confidence when they go off on road trips or on holiday. 'The tourist industry is worth over £30 billion pounds every year for our economy, so giving people the confidence to be able to use their electric vehicle when they're off on their holidays is really important.' Trade body the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has launched a campaign aimed at encouraging more visitor attractions to install EV chargers. Chief executive Toby Poston said: 'A lot of attractions, particularly smaller ones, are a bit put off or don't really understand the benefits of adopting charging infrastructure. 'The message is, if you invest in electric vehicle charging, you will attract new customers, when they visit you they'll stay for longer, and it's good for your brand. 'Depending on how you introduce the charging, you can make it a revenue opportunity as well in terms of the actual chargepoint. 'The campaign is about busting some myths and helping attractions understand that it's good for business, it's easier than they think and their customers will thank them for it.' The Department for Transport announced on Monday that grants for new electric cars are being reintroduced after being scrapped in June 2022. Drivers will be able to reduce the purchase cost of a new electric car by up to £3,750. Officials hope the measure – restricted to vehicles priced at up to £37,000 – will encourage more drivers to switch to electric motoring. The Government has pledged to ban the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030.
The Independent
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Ministers wants tourist attractions to ‘supercharge' EV infrastructure
It is vital that more tourist destinations offer electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints, a minister said. Lilian Greenwood, future of roads minister, met with tourism leaders at Staffordshire theme park Alton Towers to urge them to 'supercharge' the roll out of devices. She told the PA news agency: 'It's really important that people know that they can charge wherever they want to go, not just where they live. 'Even if people feel like they can do their day-to-day journeys to work, or the school run, or to the shops, they also want to be able to use their EV with confidence when they go off on road trips or on holiday. 'The tourist industry is worth over £30 billion pounds every year for our economy, so giving people the confidence to be able to use their electric vehicle when they're off on their holidays is really important.' Trade body the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has launched a campaign aimed at encouraging more visitor attractions to install EV chargers. Chief executive Toby Poston said: 'A lot of attractions, particularly smaller ones, are a bit put off or don't really understand the benefits of adopting charging infrastructure. 'The message is, if you invest in electric vehicle charging, you will attract new customers, when they visit you they'll stay for longer, and it's good for your brand. 'Depending on how you introduce the charging, you can make it a revenue opportunity as well in terms of the actual chargepoint. 'The campaign is about busting some myths and helping attractions understand that it's good for business, it's easier than they think and their customers will thank them for it.' The Department for Transport announced on Monday that grants for new electric cars are being reintroduced after being scrapped in June 2022. Drivers will be able to reduce the purchase cost of a new electric car by up to £3,750. Officials hope the measure – restricted to vehicles priced at up to £37,000 – will encourage more drivers to switch to electric motoring. The Government has pledged to ban the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ministers wants tourist attractions to ‘supercharge' EV infrastructure
It is vital that more tourist destinations offer electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints, a minister said. Lilian Greenwood, future of roads minister, met with tourism leaders at Staffordshire theme park Alton Towers to urge them to 'supercharge' the roll out of devices. She told the PA news agency: 'It's really important that people know that they can charge wherever they want to go, not just where they live. 'Even if people feel like they can do their day-to-day journeys to work, or the school run, or to the shops, they also want to be able to use their EV with confidence when they go off on road trips or on holiday. 'The tourist industry is worth over £30 billion pounds every year for our economy, so giving people the confidence to be able to use their electric vehicle when they're off on their holidays is really important.' Trade body the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has launched a campaign aimed at encouraging more visitor attractions to install EV chargers. Chief executive Toby Poston said: 'A lot of attractions, particularly smaller ones, are a bit put off or don't really understand the benefits of adopting charging infrastructure. 'The message is, if you invest in electric vehicle charging, you will attract new customers, when they visit you they'll stay for longer, and it's good for your brand. 'Depending on how you introduce the charging, you can make it a revenue opportunity as well in terms of the actual chargepoint. 'The campaign is about busting some myths and helping attractions understand that it's good for business, it's easier than they think and their customers will thank them for it.' The Department for Transport announced on Monday that grants for new electric cars are being reintroduced after being scrapped in June 2022. Drivers will be able to reduce the purchase cost of a new electric car by up to £3,750. Officials hope the measure – restricted to vehicles priced at up to £37,000 – will encourage more drivers to switch to electric motoring. The Government has pledged to ban the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
UK road to net zero undermined by used EV market slump
Progress on the UK's journey toward zero-emission transport is facing major setbacks, according to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA). While the number of public chargepoints and availability of new electric vehicles (EVs) continue to grow, spiralling public charging costs and plummeting used EV values are 'offsetting that positivity,' the association warned in its 2025 Road to Zero Report. BVRLA Chief Executive Toby Poston described the current phase of the transition as 'its most challenging period,' noting that while corporate demand for electric cars remains strong and salary sacrifice schemes are 'democratising access' to EVs, the used market is facing a crisis. 'Used EV values are falling relentlessly,' said Poston, adding that this collapse is 'destroying value on an epic scale' and 'costing fleets hundreds of millions of pounds.' He called the impact a 'death by a thousand cuts' that is steadily eroding industry confidence. The report, produced in collaboration with Ricardo, was launched during the BVRLA's Fleets in Charge conference, where Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP, acknowledged both the opportunity and the challenge facing the sector. Ricardo plc is a global strategic, environmental, and engineering consultancy based in the UK. 'Transport is the engine of our economy,' Greenwood said. 'The transition to zero emissions brings huge opportunities to futureproof our automotive and logistics sectors.' She welcomed the report and committed to working with industry to deliver a 'greener and more prosperous future.' The Road to Zero assessment outlines progress across three key pillars: vehicle supply, demand, and infrastructure. While 12 electric models priced under £25,000 are now available – a promising development – that figure still trails the 26 comparable petrol or diesel vehicles in the same price range. Meanwhile, the UK's used EV market has seen a 46% drop in average values from 2021 to 2024, more than double the 19% drop seen in internal combustion engine vehicles. The report also highlights a 'significant unseen barrier' to EV adoption: destination charging. Locations such as hotels and leisure venues are still under-equipped with chargepoints, hindering wider EV uptake. Despite the headwinds, there are bright spots. The BVRLA points to targeted incentives that are continuing to support EV adoption, especially through personal and business leasing. However, progress is slower in sectors without equivalent support, such as rental and van operations, with rental sector EV utilisation actually declining year-on-year. Public charging remains a critical concern, though the number of installed chargepoints continues to rise along the 'exponential curve' needed to hit the government's 2030 target of 300,000. Through its Bon VoyCharge campaign, the BVRLA is stressing the need for a charging network that's not just expansive, but strategically aligned with real-world use cases. Poston said the government's recent £1.8 billion commitment to support EV uptake 'could make a difference,' and pledged that the BVRLA will continue to work with policymakers to ensure the funding delivers the 'best return on investment.' "UK road to net zero undermined by used EV market slump" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
