[brian orr]

DP, Thanks for that insight. Can you provide a link to the source document? It would be nice to know some details!
I have to chuckle when I see Wokingham, where I live will get 7 Rapids - despite the nearby M3 and M4 being adequately served with Rapids! Still 2EVs to 7 Rapids sounds like a good ratio!
Milton Keynes gets 50! That one on every roundabout!
Everyone should be prepared to find the Rapids turning up in unlikely (unsuitable?) places! In my view rapids need to be on A-roads and motorways. Finding them in inner city car parks and leisure centres - seems less than ideal. That how it's going to be in Wokingham!

 

[brian orr]

Not great news if you live in Wales.

Does Wales have its own programme? Certainly Scotland does and this map doesn't seem to reflect what a Transport Scotland have indicated?

 

[brian orr]

You underestimate our roundabout population methinks.

Wokingham is next to Bracknell - the 'home' of the mega roundabout!
Unlike MK, Bracknell has no redeeming features!

 

[brian orr]

Very strange distribution again. Scotland: 25 rapids, Milton Keynes: 50 rapids!

Is this not in addition to the one being funded by Transport Scotland?
I do hope they are not all PAYG? That is a bug-bear for ever doing long trips in Scotland?
My local authority say that there is a condition that their OLEV chargers must remain free for the 1st 3 years! Brilliant!

 

[brian orr]

Scotland is not being left behind. At Action 25 of their strategy there is a commitment to have at least one Rapid Charger, at less than 50 miles, on every major road.
Even more strategically, they plan that, by 2040, nearly every new vehicles being sold will have zero emissions (at the tailpipe)! By 2050 all road transport will be carbonised!
What is amazing is these targets are for ALL types of vehicle!
In the country with such great potential for renewal energy - this will be great for the Scottisn Environment and the Scottish Economy - minimal importation of fossil fuels!

 

[brian orr]

On the discussion as to the future of CHAdeMO. I've been reading that the CHAdeMO Assoc read the EU ruling as indicating that all Rapid Chargers must be CCS, from 2018. They are now interpreting this as - yes they must be CCS; however, there is no restriction on what other outlets are provided. So if there is the political and commercial will - the CHAdeMO standard will live on!

 

[brian orr]

The budget was hugely underspent I'm guessing those who bid could have what they wanted. 50 chargers for MK is quite ludicrous and just shows that on both sides (bidders and budget holders) they didn't understand the commodity! England should have followed the Scottish model and recognised the need to put a 'rapid' at every 50 miles along A-roads. Giving them to towns was just the first error - they could only ever have been offered to counties. Unfortunately Berkshire blew it and got dissolved - now we have boroughs.
The chargers should have been on the A1, A33, A38, A/M11, A27 A5 etc, etc, etc! If Ecotricity/Nissan are covering the motorway then the secondary 'arteries' should have been the next priority?
I've been shot-down before - but it really do think that we need to get political - we need an EVDA that is willing to make a stand - now and again?

 

[brian orr]

Such things are devolved ...

I honestly think this is what happened in North and South Yorks!
" 'lectic cars - them's horseshit! Them poncy fellas fram down saath - they can 'ave 'em! 'arse and cart will see aaat!"
Every garage I spoke to in N.Yorks (including Nissan, BMW and Renault dealers) were adamant that Yorkshire 'folk' would not be interested in new fangled things. They certainly didn't expect tourists to arrive by EV. Mybe local government in other 'remoter' areas took the same attitude Norfolk, Lincs and Westmorland/Cumbria seem very neglected?