Member benefits Making connections This month, the BPA launches a new membership group EV Connect to support members who work in, are affected by and/or are interested in the rapidly developing electric vehicle sector. The BPAs head of technology, research and innovation, Jon Allan, tells us more am really excited for the launch of the BPA EV Connect group the first meeting of which takes place this month. I have been at the BPA for two years now, and during that time the membership of the Parking Technology group has become so diverse and the interest in electrification of the parking and transport sectors has swelled. From the feedback we have received from members and from the EV workshops held at BPA events throughout the past year, it was clear a more EV-focused group was wanted, and the idea for the EV Connect group was born. I What is the purpose of the group? EV Connect group will enable members to more easily share knowledge and best practices around electrification among themselves and with the wider BPA membership. It will also allow us to explore future ideas, represent the voice of the EV community, and lead on government consultations and campaigns. The move away from fossil fuels towards clean technologies, such as EV charging infrastructure, represents the biggest shift in our profession in a generation. This creates commercial opportunities for our sector, as well as new challenges around parking management against the backdrop of transformative technologies, such as connected autonomous vehicles and the digitisation of the kerbside. In short, the more technological options are offered, the more choices there are to make and the more data sets that are generated that need to be able to talk to each other. EV Connect will provide a platform to discuss, develop, innovate and connect key organisations, technologies and policies. What are the benefits of joining the group? More information You can find details about upcoming meetings both in person and virtual in our Events Calender.2 The EV charging section on the Resource Library3 and the EV Guidance Hub4 aims to provide BPA members with a knowledge centre comprising technical information, best practice guidance, and general information and advice on a range of related topics that may assist in everyday work in parking and traffic management. If you wish to know more, contact the groups account manager Yasmin Jefferies at Yasmin.j@britishparking.co.uk Register for 12 October meeting at bit.ly/PNOct23EVCM Please note this meeting is open to all BPA members, so you can still attend the event even if you do not wish to join the EV Connect Group. Many people and organisations from across the BPA membership are looking for guidance and best practices, and the EV Connect group will be an excellent vehicle that will allow you to network and raise the profile of your organisation. All members will be invited to put forward proposals to speak at meetings and to participate in producing guidance. As well as the networking opportunities, this group will be responsible for representing the EV infrastructure industry through lobbying activities to the government as well as responding to government consultations. The BPA works closely with the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and the Department for Transport as well as the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, so the EV Connect group has channels through which it can make its voice heard. There will also be an opportunity for cross-peer conversations and collaborations that can help to drive innovation and lead the charge for inclusive, clean and sustainable energy transformation. It means that corporate members will be democratically represented as an electoral college within the wider BPA membership. 36 PN Oct 2023 pp36-37 EV Connect.indd 36 25/09/2023 11:45