EV charging point expansion planned after council receives £700k from government
Electric vehicle charging points will be added to more than 20 car parks in Telford and Wrekin thanks to nearly £700,000 of government funding.
The funding comes after a bid from Telford & Wrekin Council to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.
The result has been an award of £683,370, which will mean 70 charging points installed across 21 car parks in Wellington, Dawley, Oakengates, Hadley, Ironbridge and Newport.
The fund, administered by the Department for Transport, looks to provide greater access to charging points for residents who cannot charge at home.
Councillor Lee Carter, Telford & Wrekin's cabinet member for place (the economy and neighbourhood services), said: “We originally planned to apply for funding to install 44 charging points across 10 car parks as per Phase 1 of our EV Strategy, but then took a more ambitious approach, increasing our bid to also cover Phase 2.
“The awarded figure means that we have achieved the full amount requested in our more ambitious bid, so we will be looking to install 70 new charging points across 21 car parks located in Wellington, Dawley, Oakengates, Hadley, Ironbridge and Newport.
“Each charging point will feature two sockets, so a total of 140 cars would be able to be charged at the same time. Our teams are now moving quickly with procurement to confirm a partner to deliver the installations.”
Councillor Carolyn Healy, the authority's cabinet member for climate action, green spaces, heritage and leisure, said: “I’m delighted that this bid success offers us another way to help people live even more sustainably in Telford and Wrekin.
“The sooner we can switch over to zero-emission vehicles, and indeed walking or cycling for shorter journeys, the better for our planet and for air quality locally.”
The council said the funding supports its aspiration for borough-wide carbon neutrality by 2030.
