It’s great news for residents as new government funding will allow Warwickshire County Council to dramatically increase the number of charging points in the County.
The Council has been allocated £3.295m from Tranche 1 of the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capital Fund, which is made available to regions so that they can increase the number of EV charging points in their area.
Based on current estimates, this funding will allow for the delivery of 2000 charging sockets at both on-street and in car park locations. The Council has already begun its discussions with partners in the Districts and Boroughs to identify suitable sites. Alongside this work, the Council is also working with private sector partners to co-ordinate the installation of many more publicly available charging points throughout Warwickshire, especially in those parts of the county where charge-point delivery has so far been slower.
The Council is also carrying out a trial to allow home-charging on terraced streets through the use of cable protectors, which forms a part of its commitment to providing a range of charging options that address the needs of anyone wanting to switch to an electric vehicle in Warwickshire. This new guidance can be found here: https://api.warwickshire.gov.uk/documents/WCCC-1615347118-1185
Cllr Jan Matecki, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning said: “This is fantastic news for everyone in Warwickshire who owns an electric vehicle or is thinking of buying one! This successful application for the earliest LEVI funding tranche demonstrates our firm commitment to encourage and facilitate a switch to electric vehicles as part of our on-going efforts to tackle climate change and to improve the health of our residents.
“We know that more people are keen to move away from fossil-fuel powered vehicles and that our role in this important shift is to provide increased charging infrastructure that makes this switch both possible and desirable. This funding is an important next step that enables us to do that!”
Cllr Heather Timms, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment Climate and Culture, said: “Carbon emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles are a big contributor to Warwickshire’s overall carbon emissions. Through a mixture of more electric vehicles on our roads and more residents choosing to travel actively, we can all contribute to improving our air quality and environment. With this very simple and relatively low-tech solution we hope we can further open up the opportunities for residents to choose electric as we strive, together, for a Warwickshire that is sustainable now and for future generations.”
The location of all available charge points in Warwickshire and beyond is available on: Zap Map
Find out more about electric vehicle charging in Warwickshire, here: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/electric-vehicles
For more information about how Warwickshire County Council is facing the challenges of the climate change emergency, visit: https://www.warwickshireclimateemergency.org.uk/
To sign up to the Warwickshire County Council climate change and sustainability newsletter, visit: www.eepurl.com/hrk-zf