Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy
Argyll and Bute Council · 9 December 2025
Back to Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee — 9 December 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy MEMBER SEMINAR 20TH OCTOBER 2025 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
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Background 2022 – Strategy approved: aim to fill geographic gaps and achieve equitable coverage. 2023–24 – Expansion plan and methodology developed – 55 sites identified 2024 – Committee reaffirmed direction while awaiting EVIF funding.
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Current expansion plan In 2022 the Council approved an EV Charging Strategy based on two delivery themes: Charging on the Move – ensuring drivers can travel through Argyll confidently. Destination Charging – providing chargers where people dwell. That approach assumed further funding would follow
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Funding secured We now have £1.033million secured for the next phase – so the key question is how best to invest it? In Dec 2022 our 55-site plan was estimated at £1.65million, based on previous average costs plus inflationary adjustment
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A hub-based approach The original 55-site plan (Dec 2022) costed at £1.65m can’t be delivered in full with the £1.033m now secured. We therefore need to prioritise investment where it has the greatest impact. We are therefore proposing a hub-based approach – clusters of chargers in key towns and island centres – providing: Reliability: multiple chargers reduce the risk of faults or queues. Better use of funds: higher usage = better cost recovery and maintenance value. Visitor and local benefit: located where people already spend time and money. Platform for future growth: once hubs are established, we can extend outwards to smaller communities and ferry points (“spokes” This hub-first model does not remove the ‘Charging on the Move’ theme — it remains central to ensuring through and onward connectivity along all major corridors
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Proposed hub methodology Strategic principle: Build reliable, visible hubs first, then expand to smaller “spokes” once the network backbone is established, ensuring full route coverage across Argyll and Bute. This also complements the existing network. Identify sites that deliver strategic coverage – locations where people visit, shop and work Potential for high utilisation Represent value for money Access to local amenities Avoid duplicating private provision Resilience and cluster logic
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Proposed hub methodology We have a proposed criteria for this based on population. The hub (single-site) methodology is: *when not near an existing large town We will add in an element of population swell through tourist locations where they would therefore move up to the next bracket: Population centres proposed for hubs reflect places where visitors and residents visit, rather than domestic users charging at home Population Rapid Fast Total 10k plus 5 5 10 5k to 10k 3 3 6 2k to 5k* 2 2 4
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Proposed hub methodology Town/area Pop Tourist swell Hub/cluster Helensburgh 13k N 5R; 5F Oban 8.5k Y 5R; 5F Dunoon 8.9k N 3R; 3F Lochgilphead 2.3k N 2R; 2F Campbeltown 4.5k N 2R; 2F Islay – Bowmore 3k island Y 3R; 3F Mull – Craignure 3k island Y 3R; 3F Bute – Rothesay 6k island N 3R; 3F
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Proposed hub methodology To progress this we have asked our consultants to: Assess the current provision in each location including non ABC operated publicly available chargers. That assessment should consider as a ‘’hub’’ any chargers within a cluster area less than one mile from the hub site identified in the above table Focus on new hubs/expansion of existing to be on a single site Identify the number and type of chargers required to meet the above hub targets, after accounting for existing provision both Council and non-Council.
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Proposed hub methodology Assuming hubs/clusters will be developed on existing sites, base on following as the core deliverability criteria on the basis we are trying to assess if sites pass or fail: Proximity to existing electrical infrastructure; Compliance with accessibility standards; No flood risk Strong data connectivity To assess in binary terms whether the sites pass or fail
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Proposed hub methodology Include usage information on existing chargers at current sites. Determine total costs for any additional EVCs required to meet the above requirement. Assume mid range costs Assess scalable expansion options at each site
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Proposed approach Total funding secured: £1.033 million £100k reserved for repairs and maintenance (de- risking current network) £100k held as contingency for cost fluctuations. That leaves £833k for new delivery. Proposal: Deliver Phase 1 Hubs from this £833k. Once hub costs are known, apply the roads capital percentage split to the remaining balance for Phase 2 (smaller “spoke” sites)
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Proposed approach Phase 1 – Strategic Hubs Priority delivery of key sites across Argyll and the islands. Exact costs dependent on DNO connection estimates. Focus on reliability, visibility and usage. Phase 2 – Local delivery Remaining balance after hubs delivered. Split by the roads capital percentage to maintain equity: Bute & Cowal – 19.78% Helensburgh & Lomond – 10.67% Mid Argyll, Kintyre & Islay – 32.71% Oban, Lorn & the Isles – 36.84% Phase 2 decisions at local level (area committees)
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Phase Two – local delivery Phase 2 delivery will focus on individual chargers and smaller sites (‘spokes’) that maintain network continuity and local access. These sites could be selected and prioritised by Area Committees within their allocated share, to support local decision-making and flexibility under the strategic framework. Ensures alignment with the original thematic principles and equitable access across rural routes and communities.
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Proposed next steps Finalise consultant outputs (deliverability-only). Confirm hub costs with DNO. Draft full delivery plan for EDI Committee (Dec 2025). Ongoing engagement with Members through area committees.
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Risks and dependencies Hub costs unknown – DNO connection and ground conditions may vary widely. Private sector overlap – expansion by supermarkets, forecourts, etc. must be tracked to avoid duplication. Maintenance load – the growing network is managed by one officer; current resource may not be sustainable. Tariff sustainability – need to balance affordability with cost recovery. Back-office transition – migration to Scottish Power/Fuuse underway; minor risk of disruption during switchover.
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Operational update 37 Council-operated public chargers currently in place across Argyll and Bute. New regional back-office contract through Scottish Power (Fuuse platform): Improves automation and fault reporting. Allows dynamic tariffs and local control. Tariff remains £0.70/kWh – good balance between recovery and affordability. Improved uptime under new maintenance arrangements.
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Cross-footway charging Growing number of residents requesting to charge from home over public pavements. No national guidance from Transport Scotland. Local phased approach: Short-term: trial approved cable protectors. Medium-term: ducting pilot (2026). Long-term: formal policy and asset register. Working with disability groups to ensure accessibility compliance This could be a potential source of modest future income – in a similar way to drop kerbs
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Discussion Is the hub-first, theme-led model the right direction? Are the proposed funding splits fair? Any concerns on rural coverage? What role should private providers play?