From Friday 13 March 2026, installing public EV charge points on England’s roads moves onto a permit footing. Section 49 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 is now commenced, letting charge point operators carry out street works under local permit schemes rather than via section 50 licences. In plain terms: permits in, s50 out - and local highway authorities across the North are squarely in the driving seat. (legislation.gov.uk)

The legal change amends the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 so that works to place, maintain or remove a public charge point in an English street can be done “in pursuance of a street works permit”, and updates the Highways Act 1980 to stop councils issuing their own permissions where a permit or licence route exists. The DfT’s consultation trail made clear the goal: put EV roll‑out on the same digital Street Manager system utilities already use. (legislation.gov.uk)

For Northern readers, the stakes are obvious. DfT’s latest official statistics show London has 338.1 public chargers per 100,000 residents, while the North East stands at 138.9, Yorkshire and the Humber 108.5, and the North West 104.9. On faster kit (50kW+), the picture is flatter: London has 25.6 rapid-or-above chargers per 100,000, versus 32.3 in the North East, 33.2 in Yorkshire and the Humber, and 36.9 in the North West. The job now is to turn permits into actual sockets. (gov.uk)

Why this matters operationally: section 50 licences have typically cost several hundred pounds and taken around 12 weeks or more, with paper-based processes in some districts. Moving to permits should compress timelines and reduce admin - without relaxing safety or reinstatement duties in the NR&SWA. Ministers flagged those aims during the Bill stage; the government’s own impact work models time and cost savings from the shift. (publications.parliament.uk)

Local practice will still shape outcomes. Permit fees and allied charges vary by authority. North East Lincolnshire, for example, sets a standard permit at around £202; Westmorland and Furness publishes schedules for NRSWA permits and urgent works; and Leeds is seeking approval to add lane‑rental charges of up to £2,500 per day on the busiest routes - costs that would sit on top of permits. For operators planning Northern roll‑outs, those local rules matter as much as the law change. (nelincs.gov.uk)

Compliance also tightens. Updated DfT statutory guidance on permit scheme conditions took effect from 5 January 2026, alongside higher fixed‑penalty levels and refreshed overrun charges in Street and Road Works Regulations. Working without a permit or overrunning conditions brings fines; the switch to permits is not a free pass. (gov.uk)

On the practical side, operators must register on Street Manager and obtain an SWA code before applying for permits. The impact assessment notes verification steps via GeoPlace, banded annual fees for access to the system, and that permits come with familiar obligations: safety, inspections, and guaranteed reinstatement periods. Councils benefit too, with a single digital view to coordinate works and cut congestion. (publications.parliament.uk)

The regional picture should evolve through 2026–27. Industry expects heavier on‑street growth as local schemes ramp, while the official statistics will shift to tracking ‘EV chargers’ (EVSE) as well as ‘devices’ - giving a clearer sense of capacity. For now, Northern provision lags on totals but holds up on rapid units, a signal that councils can prioritise commuter streets without starving trunk routes. (gov.uk)

What to watch next in the North: how quickly permit teams clear applications; whether lane‑rental is expanded on strategic corridors; and if differing fee structures slow smaller towns compared with city regions. With Section 49 live, the policy argument moves off Whitehall’s desks and onto Yorkshire pavements, Teesside cul‑de‑sacs and Lancashire A‑roads - exactly where Northern drivers need chargers to appear. (legislation.gov.uk)