Transport & Energy news round-up

Here transportandenergy.com brings you a round-up of all the latest news and stories from councils and local authorities across the UK week commencing 08/11/21.

Wyre Forest District Council

Electric vehicle (EV) charging points are to be introduced to some Wyre Forest District Council car parks as cabinet approves business case for 30 EV chargepoints across six council owned car parks.

It is also planning to put EV chargepoints at its buildings in Green Street and at Wyre Forest House. Some of the units will be able to charge two cars.

The council’s Green Advisory Panel has been reviewing the business case for EV charging points in the district as part of its work programme. It has been assisted by an external company which specialises in low emission transport and infrastructure. They have researched the number and location of EV charging points and based the figures on the estimated demand by 2030.

Birmingham City Council

Electric vehicle (EV) charging points will appear in greater numbers and at strategic locations across Birmingham, as the council’s Cabinet accepting a 12-year electric vehicle strategy that will contribute to meeting its net zero target by 2030.

In total, 3,000 EV charge points will be rolled-out across Birmingham to reduce city emissions by 50% in 2030 compared to 2020 levels.

Complementing the current electric vehicle charging infrastructure of 394 charging points, the 12-year strategy aims to tackle the barriers that may prevent people from converting to electric vehicles, such as charge point accessibility and the expense of vehicle purchase.

Coventry City Council

Coventry City Council has signed a contract with EV charging infrastructure provider Connected Kerb to install and maintain 400 additional charge points by 2023.

These charging points, partially made from recycled materials, will also include parking sensors and can potentially host other technologies such as 5G and air quality sensors.

It follows a successful pilot scheme with Connected Kerb in 2020, in which 30 charging points were installed in the city. Installations will be fully funded by Connected Kerb while any profits will be shared with the council.

Craven District Council

Twelve fast charging points are to be installed in Gargrave, Cross Hills, Ingleton and Bentham following a successful application by Craven District Council to OZEV.

The council applied for 75% of the costs to supply three Electric Vehicle Fast Charge Points. It received £146,736, and put in £48,912 to make the project possible.

The new charging points are due to be installed in March next year, and will be at North Street, Gargrave; Milligans Field, Cross Hills; Grasmere Drive , Bentham, and The Community Centre in Ingleton.

Runcorn District Council

RDC has selected Leiria Way to pilot a new EnSmartEV system which can fast charge six electric vehicles (EVs) at the same time.

The technology can charge EVs directly from solar power or from off-peak, cheaper rate national grid electricity which it stores in its Lithium Ion battery overnight.

The Government-backed initiative has seen a brand-new battery container and three EV charging posts installed.

The £350,000 project has been jointly funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicle (OZEV) through Innovate UK and Entrust Microgrid.

East Renfrewshire

A lack of charging points for EVs in East Renfrewshire has been branded “shocking” by local motorists who say they are being let down by a lack of infrastructure.

Local drivers are being forced to travel miles in order to charge up and the local train station charging points that have been installed have been out of action for over a year.

Another local driver has also reported his efforts to have a charging point installed outside his home in a modern Taylor Wimpey development have been thwarted by a public footpath there.

West Sussex Council

Connected Kerb has revealed that West Sussex County Council will deploy thousands of public charge points over the next ten years in a deal aimed to provide a blueprint for other local authorities in the future.

The firm has signed partnerships for 10,000 chargers in 2021, with 30,000 in the pipeline for 2022. Connected Kerb is fully funding the project and will manage and maintain the chargers.

The £1.9 billion investment will see 190,000 chargers installed nationwide by 2030.

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