New EV charging hub opens in Stockport
An electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in Stockport is the first of 20 to be built in a £15 million deal between Stockport Borough Council and Be.EV.
The completed network will have over 100 EV charging bays, featuring cutting-edge ultra-rapid charging technology.
The new charging hub, located near the Romiley precinct, marks the start of the partnership between Stockport Council and Be.EV. The deal, signed in March last year, put Stockport at the forefront of the EV revolution, with Romiley being the first of 20 installations that Be.EV has agreed to deliver.
Romiley is located 10 minutes from the M60 – which sees an average of over 83,000 vehicles a day. Stockport has close to 2700 registered electric vehicles, drivers of which will be able to charge their car whilst commuting or visiting the nearby retailers.
Anyone will be able to use the chargers, with Be.EV members able to charge their car at a discounted rate. Local residents will also benefit, with Stockport Council receiving a share of the revenue from the charge points.
Be.EV funded all up-front installation and operating costs for the Romiley Precinct hub, as well as managed the design, build, installation of the site, and ongoing maintenance – delivering a turn-key solution for Stockport Council.
Cllr Mark Roberts, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “It is fantastic to see the first charging point in operation following the agreement signed in 2023. The whole of Stockport, including the council, residents and businesses, must make big changes to reduce our emissions now so that we stop contributing to climate change and providing this new infrastructure will help us on that challenging journey.
“Installing more electric vehicle chargers is a key element for the council with regards to its commitment to taking action on climate change as we aim for Stockport to be carbon neutral by 2038.”
Cllr Grace Baynham, Cabinet Member for Parks, Highways and Transport Services, said: “The new chargers will be a great asset to our residents, in locations where they can access them easily.
“We’ve worked hard to identify areas for the new chargers and I’m looking forward to more being available to residents over the upcoming months.”
Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV said: “It is great to see the first hub from our partnership with Stockport Council up and running, and we’re excited to install more state-of-the-art charging infrastructure across the borough.
“Stockport Council is getting ahead of the curve by providing reliable ultra-rapid and rapid charging for its residents to use that do not have off-road parking of their own, while generating additional footfall to retail hot spots.
“Other councils should sit up and take notice – sites like these are perfect for simultaneously achieving their net-zero transition goals while also providing a boost to local businesses.”
Image courtesy of Stockport Council.