Portsmouth selects Zest
Portsmouth City Council has selected Zest as its new public charge point operator following a procurement process.
The partnership aims for Zest to more than triple the amount of available on-street chargepoints, by installing and managing up to 320 new on-street chargepoints in residential areas, during 2025.
The expansion will offer more people access to convenient charging, especially those without driveways or other off-street parking. As contracts come to an end with existing operators, current plans allow for Zest to take on some or all of the existing chargepoint network that has been in place since 2018.
Existing charge points will be evaluated by Zest and may or may not be retained, and the council will work with them on this as a priority once they are fully embedded.
New chargepoints will be strategically located based on community requests, ensuring they’re in the most effective locations for residents across the city, it said.
The project is being supported by a grant from the government’s On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) with matched funding from Zest.
Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
“We are committed to providing sustainable transport options for everyone in Portsmouth, and working with Zest to support residents choosing to transition from petrol or diesel to electric vehicles is a key part of that.
“Installing up to 320 new chargepoints will make it easier for people to make the switch to cleaner vehicles and benefit from convenient charging options close to home.”
Robin Heap, CEO at Zest, said:
“We’re excited to partner with Portsmouth City Council, a forward-thinking local authority committed to sustainable transport and improving air quality.
“To create real change, we need an abundance of convenient charging options that fit seamlessly into people’s lives, and this investment will make the switch to electric vehicles a possibility for drivers across the city.”
Zest is a gold sponsor of the Transport + Energy Forum 2024 which is taking place at Warwick Conferences on 21 November. Book your tickets for the event here.
Image courtesy of Zest