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Rachel Reeves faces pressure to support electric cars at the Autumn Budget. The Labour Party Chancellor has been urged to address a major car problem at the Autumn Budget in a desperate bid to keep driving affordable for millions. It follows a letter sent by industry voice ChargeUK to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget. The letter from ChargeUK CEO Vicky Read said: "I urge you to take decisive action in the upcoming budget to promote the widespread rollout of public EV charging and keep charging affordable for all drivers. "The UK's transition to zero emission vehicles is a shared national priority - creating jobs and growth in the automotive, charging and wider e-mobility sectors, and helping households to save money while supporting net zero." READ MORE Older drivers face new roadside test in England and could have licence revoked The organisation also called on the Chancellor to tackle business rates on charging bays, which are set to increase next year. "This would jeopardise private investment, risk a slowdown in deployment and site closures, particularly outside the southeast, and push up driver prices," Ms Read warned. "This unfair disparity penalises the one in three households without access to private driveways, often lower-income and urban families," the expert stated. The letter detailed how the Budget could create an opportunity to announce a "pro-growth, pro-consumer package of measures that addresses these cost burdens". The letter outlines that the UK’s transition to electric vehicles is a national priority, creating jobs and growth and helping households save money. There are now over 86,000 public charge points in the UK, growing at around 25% per year. However, progress is now at risk due to three critical cost pressures, it said. The letter concluded: "Taken together, these actions would deliver a tangible win for drivers by ensuring charging remains widely available and affordable, and provide the stable and supportive fiscal environment needed to safeguard growth and investment in one of the UK's key infrastructure sectors."
