Requiring forecourts and other electric vehicle charging locations to display prices prominently and speeding up the introduction of the Pumpwatch scheme are among actions being demanded of the new government by the RAC.
The organisation is also calling on Sir Keir Starmer’s administration to take other actions to reverse the recent slowdown in private electric vehicle registrations as well as without delay bringing in Pumpwatch and a price monitoring body to ensure falls in the wholesale price of fuel are immediately passed onto drivers.
The organisation says the transport policy of the Labour government must “urgently tackle the most pressing concerns” of the UK’s 40 million motorists.
In a statement to incoming ministers, the RAC says steps to boost sales of EVs should include reintroducing a plug-in car grant to stimulate the cheaper end of the market and reducing VAT on public EV charging to match the 5% levied on domestic electricity so drivers who cannot charge at home are not disadvantaged. It is also urging the goverment to ensure charger locations are clearly signposted with kilowatt per hour prices displayed prominently.
Additionally, it is repeating its plea for motorists to get “a better deal at the pumps”, stating that forecourt prices for petrol and diesel in England, Wales, and Scotland are “stlll too expensive”.
The Pumpwatch programme, under which fuel prices will be made available to the public through price comparison sites and map apps, and a price monitoring body, were pushed into law by Rishi Sunak’s government before the election. The RAC says the initiatives will ”ensure retailers always pass on savings from significant drops in the wholesale price of fuel” and end the “pump price postcode lottery, where the cost of petrol and diesel can differ dramatically between urban and rural areas”.
It is also asking Chancellor Rachel Reeves to maintain the current 5p duty cut, due to be reversed next March, until at least spring 2026, or “until such time as the Pumpwatch scheme is up and running and delivering fairer prices”.
The RAC wants the government to improve road safety, including by repairing potholes, and make paying remotely for public parking easier.
RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Roads ravaged with potholes. Drivers ripped off at the pumps. No progress on reducing road casualties. To say the incoming Transport Secretary has a lot to address is a huge understatement, but a new Parliament is a huge opportunity to improve the lives of all road users.”
