W734 - Installation of EV Charging Infrastructure in Depots

The Department for Transport confirmed the award of grant funding on 28 January 2026, notwithstanding that the bid submission deadline was 31 November 2025. The funding is subject to the condition that all monies are fully spent by the end of the 2025/26 financial year, creating an exceptionally constrained delivery timeframe.

The grant supports fleet operators with the installation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for HGVs, vans and coaches at operational depots, directly contributing to the Authority's climate change commitments, cleaner fleet objectives and wider electrification programme

Vev has already been engaged to undertake assessments of the existing electrical capacity at the Authority's depots and to evaluate the feasibility of further fleet electrification. Through this existing engagement, Vev identified and advised on the availability of the relevant Department for Transport funding opportunity to support additional charging infrastructure at the Stores Road and London Road depots.

Given Vev's detailed prior knowledge of the depots, the existing electrical infrastructure, and the specific funding requirements, a direct award was considered necessary to ensure continuity of work, avoid duplication of surveys and design costs, and enable the project and funding bid to be progressed within the required and exceptionally tight

timescales.

Failure to approve the direct award would present a significant risk of loss of grant funding, delays to the fleet electrification programme, increased overall costs, disruption to technical continuity, and the potential failure to achieve agreed carbon reduction

targets. In accordance with procurement transparency requirements, a 8 working day standstill period was observed prior to contract award