Traffic is one of the major causes of air pollution. Reducing emissions from road transport is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve local air quality. This can be done by reducing the use of vehicles, especially older, more polluting vehicles, and by avoiding idling whenever possible.
Air pollution is associated with a number of adverse health impacts. It is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer. Additionally air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society, including children and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions; therefore the need to reduce air pollution is vital.
On the whole the air quality across the borough is good, however we are committed to educating and raising awareness around vehicle idling. Unnecessary vehicle idling causes increased fuel use and emissions of pollutants.
Switch off your engine when your vehicle is parked for more than one minute.
Common misconceptions
EVs are too expensive
EVs do cost more to buy outright but, in many cases, have a lower cost over 4 years. There are tax incentives in place for owners of EVs, including zero road tax and favourable company car tax rates. These can save some drivers over £2,000 per year.
An EV is estimated to save a potential £176 in running costs for every 1,000 miles driven. This means it can cost as little as 2 pence per mile to run an EV when charging on off-peak electricity. This is compared to over 20 pence per mile for petrol and diesel. As EVs have far fewer moving parts there’s also less maintenance to be done.
EVs do not have the battery range to travel as far as people need
99% of car journeys in England are under 100 miles. This means most drivers’ needs are easily met by an EV. A typical electric vehicle battery has a range of anywhere between 100 and 300 miles.
The battery will need replacing after 5 years
There are well over 10 million EVs on the world’s roads already. There is no evidence to suggest their lifespans are any different from a petrol or diesel vehicle.
Most EV batteries have warranties of around 8-10 years (or 100,000 miles) but are expected to last much longer, and their lifespan continues to improve.
Batteries cannot be recycled and will all end up in landfill
Existing regulations ban the disposal of EV batteries to landfill and incineration. Car manufacturers are obligated to take back EV batteries free of charge and ensure they are treated at permitted facilities that meet the required recycling efficiency standards.
EVs cannot be driven or charged in the rain
Not true. EVs have to comply with tough technical rules prior to entering the market, including crash and electrical safety. This means they are safe to drive and charge in a wide range of weather conditions.
EVs cannot tow or be towed
Like all other cars, electric vehicles need to be ‘type approved’ to tow a caravan or trailer. An increasing number of EVs are coming to market with this capability.
There are not enough chargepoints to meet demand
Research has found that the UK has one of the most extensive rapid charging networks in Europe. Many drivers install a charger at home and business owners choose to install them in the workplace, making charging their car cheap and convenient.
It takes too long to charge an EV
Most charging will be done at or near home overnight. However, some new cars can charge up 200 miles in as little as 20 minutes - the time it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee.
Potential charging speeds have increased by a factor of 5 in the past few years as businesses have started to focus seriously on EVs as the future of road transport.
EV charging is complicated
Filling up with fuel is so easy it’s second nature. With a range of connectors, rates of charge and different places to charge your EV drivers are under the misconception that charging an electric vehicle is incredibly complex.
Many new charge points now let you pay as you go with a contactless credit or debit card. The Government mandated in 2017 that new and replacement charge points had to offer standard connectors, so now almost all EVs can connect to the entire charging network simply and easily.
The grid will not be able to cope if everyone switches to EVs
Experts predict that by 2050, EVs will account for around 20% of total electricity demand. However, the National Grid is confident that its updates and investments in renewable energy mean it can comfortably cope with increased demand.
EVs can be charged overnight or when renewable energy is readily available and cheaper in price.
Charging infrastructure
- There are four main charging speeds for electric cars – slow, fast, rapid and ultra-rapid.
- Slow: Power: 3-6kW, duration: 6-12 hours, location: on-street, home, business
- Fast: Power: 7-22kW, duration: 3-5 hours, location: on-street, home, business
- Rapid: Power: up to 50kW, duration: 80% in 20 mins, location: motorways
- Ultra-rapid: Power: 90-250kW, duration: 80% in 20 mins, location: motorways
- Essentially your charging duration, will depend on the size of your EV battery and the speed of the charge point you use
- To find public charging locations please visit the Zap Map website
- Cheshire East charging locations.
Funding opportunities
There are funding opportunities for homeowners and for those who rent and have off-street parking provision:
There are also some workplace / business charging schemes:
Carbon neutral council
In May 2019, we committed to becoming carbon neutral as a council by 2025, due to the current financial situation this has been pushed back to 2027. Our Carbon Neutral Action Plan approved by the council in May 2020 sets out the actions we should consider taking in support of our carbon neutral by 2027 target.
Our council fleet of vehicles includes those used by Community Wardens, Highways and Environmental Services. Work is underway to gradually replace vehicles with electric models.
