Great news for electric vehicle owners in Gloucestershire, as 100 charging points have been installed across the county — with 30 more to be installed by the end of March 2024 and 870 more expected over the next two years.
The installation programme has been given a big boost too, with Gloucestershire awarded £3.629 million from the Department for Transport's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capital Fund.
More than 30 sites were initially chosen to be part of the first phase, with residents asked to have their say on where charging points should be installed.
Gloucestershire County Council made it a top priority to find sites in the Stroud district after some locations were initially dropped. As a result, charge points have been installed in Bowbridge Lane in Stroud and Nortonwood in Nailsworth.
Other locations include 12 in Cheltenham; eight in Gloucester; three in Cirencester and one in Fairford; three in the Forest of Dean; and three separate points in Bishop's Cleeve, Winchcombe and Tewkesbury.
So far, many locations have seen two twin charge points installed so that four electric vehicles can be charged at the same time. In some areas where parking is tight, however, residents will notice only two bays marked out initially — these will be increased to four when there is demand.
One third of homes in Gloucestershire lack the ability to charge an electric vehicle on their driveways, so the council are prioritising locations where off-street parking isn't available.
With newly installed charging points now placed in public areas — and hundreds more planned — the council hopes to encourage many more residents to make the switch to EV, with easy access to public charging points making the decision an easier one.
Around one third of CO2 emissions in Gloucestershire come from transport, with private vehicles accounting for 55 per cent of those. Making the switch from fossil fuel to electric vehicles can greatly help reduce carbon emissions.
Councillor David Gray, cabinet member for environment and planning at Gloucestershire County Council, said: 'It’s great news that our rollout of electric vehicle charging points is progressing well, with the first 100 now installed.
'This work will continue thanks to the £3.629 million funding we have received from the Department for Transport. More locations are being identified around the county, providing accessible facilities for residents who do not have off-street parking.
'This will make it easier for people to switch to electric vehicles, helping to create a greener Gloucestershire, as they reduce emissions and noise pollution and improve air quality.'
More locations are expected to be revealed over the coming months, with residents asked to continue offering their location ideas via the county council website.
