Telford & Wrekin Council works with Believ
Telford & Wrekin Council has begun work on installing 70 new charging points with charge point operator Believ following almost £700,000 in government funding.
Only council-owned car parks are involved in the rollout of fast and rapid electric vehicle (EV) charge points with the charging points supporting Telford and Wrekin’s transition to EVs, and improving resident and visitor access to such facilities.
Each charging point will feature two sockets, meaning a total of 140 cars would be able to charge at the same time.
According to research by Midlands Connect, figures suggest Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin will see an increase of 1,812 per cent in the uptake of electric vehicles by the end of 2030. Projections are predicted to rise from 6,332 EVs today to 121,044 on its roads by the end of 2030.
The project is part funded through the Government’s On-street Residential Charge Point Scheme (ORCS) and Believ, and includes planning, installation, operation and ongoing maintenance of charge points.
Believ is a specialist in delivering all speeds of charge point infrastructure at zero cost to local councils, working in collaboration with partners, communities and the customers they serve, to develop and deliver an EV charging network that is publicly accessible, reliable and future-proofed.
Guy Bartlett, Chief Executive Officer of Believ said:
“The business is proud to support a progressive and forward-thinking council to achieve net zero carbon emissions. Telford & Wrekin Council is making significant progress towards achieving carbon neutrality, and we are delighted to deliver a charge point infrastructure that helps contribute to its success.
Councillor Ollie Vickers, (Lab) Cabinet Member for the Economy said:
“This is a big step forward in the programme with Believ and we are excited to start rolling out charging points in the new year.
“We’re starting in one of Telford and Wrekin’s oldest towns and proud to be supporting people who wish to make the choice to reduce vehicle carbon emissions.”
“From delivering fully funded solutions toworking in partnership with other sources of funding, we work to deploy bespoke, end-to-end EV charging solutions that suit the local area and our partners best. It is through these partnerships and active collaboration that we move closer to achieving cleaner air for all, and we are excited to be part of Telford and Wrekin Council’s journey”
Councillor Carolyn Healy, (Lab) Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Planning & Sustainability said:
“In 2019 Telford & Wrekin Council declared a climate emergency and committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
“Five years later, we have cut our carbon emissions by 61 per cent and on track to hit our target date. With the council in the process of switching its own fleet to zero-emissions vehicles, these new charging points will help residents to make the switch to electric vehicles too, making it easier to conveniently charge their vehicles whilst using our free council car parks.”
Image from Telford & Wrekin Council