National Highways has awarded a £1.2m contract over two years to WSP and KPMG to provide support on its motorway electric vehicle (EV) charging programme. The contract covers the complex planning and programme management needed beyond installing chargers themselves.
Planning behind the chargers
The main cost and complication of motorway EV charging often lies not in the chargers, but in the surrounding work. This includes demand modelling, commercial strategy, and adapting the strategic road network to handle longer vehicle dwell times and increased power demand.
WSP, a large engineering and professional services firm, and KPMG, with its expertise in consultancy and programme controls, will support National Highways in navigating these challenges. Their role involves advising on route-wide charging provision, grid capacity, and managing competing demands at service areas developed originally for refuelling.
Fitting EV charging into the motorway network
Motorway service areas were designed for short stops, mainly for refuelling. EV charging introduces longer waits and different electricity demands. This changes how locations for chargers must be chosen. It requires coordination across operators, land owners, and power providers to ensure chargers are accessible and resilient within the wider strategic road network.
National Highways’ contract reflects the need to integrate commercial, technical and programme expertise to achieve this. The aim is to avoid poorly sited chargers or capacity bottlenecks that can cause delays for drivers.
What this means for drivers and the sector
This contract is unlikely to result in additional chargers appearing immediately. Instead, it supports the groundwork that shapes longer-term programme delivery and network performance. Better planning can reduce inefficient upgrades and ensure capacity aligns with traffic demand, particularly during peak travel periods.
For contractors and local authorities, the move signals that motorway EV charging is entering a more established phase. It is no longer about pilots or symbolic projects but about embedding charging infrastructure into routine network management and planning.
The bigger picture for motorway EV delivery
While physical works on site are visible, much of the motorway EV charging transformation happens behind the scenes in modelling, commercial decisions and programme management. This £1.2m contract is a modest but crucial part of that process.
National Highways faces the challenge of delivering EV charging suitable for long-distance travel on England’s strategic road network. The success depends on a network approach rather than isolated sites. The two-year consultancy support strengthens the authority’s capacity to manage this complex system.
