Councillor Ashley Mason MStJ

Representation for Place Committee, November 2025

EV Charging Strategy

I have owned an electric car for a year and live on a terraced street with a small forecourt. I rely solely on using CYC HyperHubs to charge my car which undertakes the equivalent of 6 days a week of commuting. We made a conscious decision to switch to electric, knowing it would be a lifestyle change, but knowing the environment benefits it would have. Having experienced significant issues with both CYC HyperHubs for a year, we now regret this decision and are keen to share our feedback as first hand users. I have escalated these concerns to CYC, the Executive Member and BP with no improvement obvious. It is highly likely that if the constant failings of the HyperHubs are not resolved we will revert to a petrol/diesel car. Given York's large expanse of terraced housing, a reliable external network of rapid chargers is the only way to secure a transition, that is not there at present.

The issues I have encountered, over and over again, include:

· Machines not recognising payment cards

· Starting the car charging, heading off to do shopping and returning to find it has added 2% and then stopped working.

· Machines not working: when I have called BP to report them they confirm they have not been used for days – showing prompt or proactive action is not taken to identify issues and resolve them, reducing the small supply of rapid charge even further. These are buys places with constant turnover.

· All chargers being used by CYC vehicles charging to 100%, which takes significantly longer than charging to 80%. CYC staff report their vehicles are too big to charge at CYC premises and are not able to have chargers fitted at their homes, meaning at busy times their use restricts what is available to the public.

· Chargers being plugged in but screens freezing, locking in the charging cable with no charging action.

From using the HyperHubs regularly it is clear other motorists have no faith in their reliability, but most, like me, are left with little option. They don’t complain as the problem is so endemic, and when people do, like I have, there is no improvement or even reply. I am still waiting from a reply from BP from weeks ago. The presentation states "We absolutely do want to enable electric vehicle ownership where people need to run a car". This can only be achieved if the above are resolved to deliver a high quality and reliable service. If it worked I would be its biggest champion!

In regard to charging locations for slower options, I have seen in London charging is available from lampposts: can this be explored for some terraced streets? Can community building with car parks that are not currently used overnight, such as religious buildings, shops, community centres and the like, be fitted with chargers to enable local people to charge there overnight in their own community?

I am desperate to see the current system improve. It has so much potential but is not delivering for York's environmentally conscious residents who can't fit home chargers.  

Yours respectfully,

Councillor Ashley Maosn