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Gridserve Has Agreed to Allow Rivals on UK Motorways!
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- Gridserve will relinquish exclusivity at three service stations.
- The Competition and Markets Authority expressed worry that the agreements were prohibiting competitors from competing.
After Britain’s antitrust regulator raised competition concerns, a British EV charging point company will abandon its deal to be the sole operator of certain motorway service stations.
According to a statement released by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Tuesday, Gridserve has agreed not to impose exclusivity rights in its contracts with Moto Hospitality, Extra, or Roadchef motorway service stations beyond Nov 2026.
After the government pledged to restrict new sales of diesel and petrol automobiles from 2030, the Competition and Markets Authority launched a market study on electric vehicle charging. Despite the fact that Bentley Motors, Stellantis, and Aston Martin Lagonda have all stated plans to electrify, the CMA concluded that a lack of variety and charging stations may deter people from making the move.
To ensure that charging points are broadly placed where consumers need them, and at a fair price, we need a combination of investment now and healthy competition going forward.
Ann Pope, the CMA’s senior antitrust director, said in a statement.
The three motorway service stations, which account for almost two-thirds of the United Kingdom highway service areas, have agreed to take no action, according to the Competition and Markets Authority. Gridserve Ltd. has also promised not to impose exclusivity at electric vehicle charging stations that receive government assistance.
