EV chargepoint delivery
The council is currently in the middle of a tender process to procure chargepoint operators to help deliver its EV strategy. In the meantime, we will be working to improve accessibility of the existing charging points. There will be three main phases of delivery, which are listed below.
Please note that these timescales are currently indicative, as they will be subject to a number of factors including confirmation of OZEV funding, District Network Operator liaison, consultation on locations and having dry weather to enable the works to be completed. These pages will be kept up to date with the latest timeframes as the programme progresses.
Phase 1 – installation of dedicated bays at existing charging points (March/April 2024)
Phase 2 – installation of new charging points to ensure those without access to off-street parking are within a 1 minute walk of a chargepoint
- Delivery of first phase of fast and rapid chargers (spring/summer 2024)
- Delivery of lamp column charging expansion (from early summer 2024)
Phase 3 – installation of further new charging points to ensure those without access to off-street parking are around a 30 second walk from a charepoint (by spring 2026)
Phase 1: Installation of dedicated bays at existing chargepoints
Existing on-street chargepoints do not currently have dedicated parking provision. As a result, EV owners are often unable to access the chargepoints due to petrol / diesel fuelled vehicles parking adjacent to where the chargepoints are located. To help improve accessibility to the chargepoints, the council plans to introduce dedicated charging bays next to all existing chargepoints within the borough in spring 2024.
The introduction of dedicated EV charging bays is being trialled as part of an Experimental Traffic Management Order (ETMO) for a minimum of 6-months and will then be assessed to determine practicality of the bays and observations of real-world use, before a decision is made on whether or not to make them permanent (with or without amendments).
From 18 March 2024, the council will begin introducing EV charging bays which will include the alteration of existing or introduction of new road markings, and where necessary, the removal of existing parking bay signage and introduction of new signage.
Prior to these works starting, the council will be placing cones at locations where the bays are to be marked and installing temporary signage to identify that the parking provision is suspended whilst the works take place. Due to the limited amount of road markings required, it is anticipated that these works will be completed relatively quickly although the works are reliant on dry weather/road surface and coned areas being clear of vehicles. If adverse weather prevents works taking place, the council’s lining contractor will return when conditions have improved.
If there is an opportunity to complete the works ahead of schedule the council’s highway contractor will endeavour to do so.
Once all works have been completed on your street, the EV charging bays will become operational and only EV’s actively charging their vehicle will be permitted to park within these bays. Once a charge is complete, the EV owner is required to vacate the charging bay of their vehicle. If your street is within a controlled parking zone (CPZ), only those displaying a valid permit for that zone will be permitted to charge their vehicle within the EV bays during CPZ operational times; outside of these hours, the chargepoints can be accessed by other EV users.
In the instance the existing chargepoint is currently out of service and requires maintenance, the council will not mark an EV charging bay until that chargepoint is replaced with new infrastructure. This is due to happen later this year along with the roll-out of over 1,000 new charge points across the borough.
