Lilian Greenwood MP, Minister for the Future of Roads, visited Gridserve’s electric forecourt near Stevenage last Thursday, highlighting the government’s “commitment to advancing sustainable transport and supporting the expansion of the UK’s EV charging infrastructure”, says the operator.
During the visit, on the A1(M) at Junction 7, the minister toured the facility, which has 34 charging bays, and an EV ‘experience zone’ educating motorists yet to make the switch to electric. The site also features a Costa Coffee and a Little Fresh ‘Good To Go’ convenience store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out cash-free technology.
The Future of Roads Minister was joined by key stakeholders and team members involved in the development, construction and operation of the site, including Gridserve’s executive chair Roy Williamson and chief product officer Rebecca Trebble, as well as engineers that maintain the chargers, customer service ‘gurus’ who give charging assistance, and key investors in Gridserve.
The group discussed the site’s technology, the future expansion of EV infrastructure, the new roles created in this growing industry and the government’s ongoing efforts to promote the adoption of electric vehicles across the UK.
Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood congratulated Gridserve on its “ground-breaking charging technology”, with the forecourt having 28 high power bays up to 360kW – some of the fastest publicly available, and capable of adding up to 100 miles of range in 10 minutes, using net zero energy.
She said: “There are now over 71k public chargepoints in the UK – with 57 added on average each day. Drivers can now also rely on up-to-date location services to easily find a charger along with 24/7 helplines and hassle-free contactless payments.
“All on top of our £2.3bn investment to help drivers and industry switch to EVs, and make the transition a success for everyone”.
The Gridserve team shared insights into the engineering, construction and operational processes that brought this electric forecourt to life, increasing charging in the local area by 34%.
Roy Williamson, executive chairman at Gridserve, said: “We are proud to be part of the UK’s continued vision for a cleaner and more sustainable future and to play a key role in the transition to electric vehicles. The government’s continued support for EVs through initiatives such as the ZEV mandate, allows us to invest confidently in world-leading infrastructure, ahead of demand, to serve the UK’s drivers.”
Gridserve now has over 190 locations with over 1,400 charging bays, accessed through contactless payments and supported by a 24/7 customer service support centre.
