Stop Labour’s EV Tax Grab on Rural Drivers!

Labour’s new Electric Vehicle Charge is a desperate tax grab that actively punishes drivers who have already made the environmentally friendly choice, especially here in the East Riding of Yorkshire!

​This is a complete failure of common sense and fairness. Instead of accelerating the transition to Net Zero, Labour is hitting local people with higher costs while failing to deliver the vital infrastructure we need.

​The stark reality on the ground highlights this hypocrisy:

​While London boasts a charging provision of over 300 devices per 100,000 people, the East Riding of Yorkshire currently has significantly lower provision, with only around 78 public charging devices per 100,000 population (as of April 2024).

​For residents across our large, rural county, who rely on their cars for longer journeys between towns like Beverley, Bridlington, and Driffield, this inadequate, unreliable, and often expensive public charging network is a massive barrier.

​This new charge is a double whammy: high costs AND high anxiety about finding a working, affordable place to charge, particularly for those without off-street parking.

​We are calling on Labour to scrap this unfair charge and finally focus on a practical plan that works for the East Riding:

Cut the VAT on public EV charging to 5% to match home charging, ending the 'two-tier' system that hits residents without driveways hardest.

Mandate Local Authorities to deliver comprehensive EV strategies to tackle the “black holes” in rural charging infrastructure, ensuring proper investment across the Wolds and our coastal communities.

​Invest properly in upgrading the local electricity grid capacity, which is a major bottleneck preventing the quick and efficient installation of new charging points across the East Riding.

​Liberal Democrats: The Voice for a Fair EV Transition in the East Riding

​"Labour talks the talk on climate, but they are leaving rural communities like ours behind. First, they fail to install the necessary charging points, and now they introduce a new tax on EV drivers. You cannot simply tax your way to Net Zero; you have to enable it with proper, reliable, and affordable infrastructure right here in the East Riding.” Tim Holden Liberal Action. 

​"Drivers without access to private driveways already pay up to four times more for electricity at public charge points compared to those who can charge at home. This new charge adds insult to injury and will simply lock millions of drivers out of making the switch to an EV. This is not just an infrastructure issue, it’s an issue of fairness and affordability for families across our towns and villages."
— Baroness Pidgeon (National Lib Dem Spokesperson)

​The Liberal Democrats have a clear plan for a fair deal for our environment. We will ensure the charging infrastructure is reliable, affordable, and accessible across the whole country—not just in city centres.

​Don't let Labour punish drivers in the East Riding for trying to go green. Share this post if you agree we need a fairer deal for EV users!

​#EVCrisis #RuralCommunities #FairDealForDrivers #EastRiding #LiberalDemocrats

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