Dudley MP visits InstaVolt charging site

We recently welcomed Sonia Kumar MP, Member of Parliament for Dudley, to our ultra-rapid EV charging site at Castlegate in Dudley. The visit was an opportunity to discuss how public charging infrastructure is being built, maintained and protected at a local level as electric vehicles become an everyday part of transport.

Public EV charging now plays a vital role for many residents, particularly those without access to off-street parking. Ensuring this infrastructure is reliable, safe and well-maintained is essential to supporting a fair and inclusive transition to cleaner transport.

During the visit, we talked about how our engineers are on the ground every day carrying out regular site checks and preventive maintenance. This includes keeping chargers fully operational, ensuring sites are well-lit and accessible and addressing wider upkeep such as cleanliness, visibility and general presentation. These factors are just as important as technical performance when it comes to building public confidence in charging infrastructure.

We also discussed the preventive investment we are making to protect our network as it grows. This includes strengthened cable protection, enhanced site security and the trial of new tracking technologies. Together, these measures are designed to build resilience into the network and minimise disruption for drivers who rely on public charging.

Alongside operational delivery, we shared our view that public EV charging has now become critical national infrastructure. As adoption continues to increase, recognising this within national policy frameworks would support greater consistency and coordination across operators, enforcement bodies and policymakers, reinforcing the proactive work already being done on the ground.

Sonia was engaged throughout the visit and interested in understanding how charging infrastructure fits into the local area, both in terms of day-to-day operation and its role in supporting communities through the transition to net zero.

We remain focused on delivering a reliable, easy-to-use public charging network, powered by 100 per cent renewable energy, and on working constructively with local communities and government to support the future of cleaner transport.