Brighton & Hove City Council expands EV charging rollout

Brighton & Hove City Council is expanding the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points to help meet growing demand.

Already one of the best covered cities in the UK, the council is set to add 100 new lamppost charging points and 20 new rapid chargers from this month.

It’ll take the total number of charge points in the city close to 500 with hundreds more set to follow in the next few years thanks to a multi-million pound grant.

The rollout will begin from March, starting with lamppost chargers. Rapid chargers will follow in late spring/early summer, subject to Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) consultations.

The first group of new chargers are being funded thanks to a central government grant of over £440,000 from OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles). This grant will cover 60% of the total cost, with EV charging operator Blink Charging covering the remaining 40%.

Last month, the council was awarded £2.865 million from the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) fund which will support the installation of at least 1,650 new chargers over the next three years.

Councillor Trevor Muten, Chair of the Transport and Sustainability committee said:

“Brighton & Hove really is leading the way when it comes to providing an electric vehicle infrastructure fit for the future.

“The number of EVs is growing fast so we need to make sure we’re ahead of the curve. Many more residents, businesses and visitors are choosing to drive fully electric cars and vans as prices come down and the second-hand market expands.

“This funding means we can provide hundreds of new charge points for the thousands of residents and visitors who’ve made the switch to electric or will do so in the years ahead.

“Providing thousands more EV charging points will also make a significant contribution to achieving the city’s net zero goals of moving away from burning polluting fossil fuels, providing affordable, clean energy and improving air quality. By re-focusing and scaling up actions, we are working to bring about bigger changes and positive, sustainable benefits for everyone.”

Statistics from the DVLA have shown that almost 3,000 electric and hybrid vehicles are now registered in Brighton & Hove, and the number is growing.

Independent research shows that 77% of Brighton and Hove residents with no off-street parking, now live within a 5-minute walk of a public charge point, one of the best rates in the country.

The council currently has around 700 active requests from residents for charge points to be installed near their homes and receive approximately 20 more every month. The new lamppost chargers will be installed in locations based on these requests.

Image courtesy of Shutterstock.

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