Published on Monday 21 August 2023
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents are being asked where they would like to see electric vehicle charging points installed across the area.
The question forms part of a consultation aiming to create a reliable and accessible electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure for residents, businesses and visitors.
The Public EV Infrastructure Strategy will also contribute to making the area carbon neutral before 2050.
Councillor Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy said:
"It’s estimated that up to a third of residential properties across the BCP area don’t have off-street parking and need access to publicly available EV charging points to run an electric vehicle.
"We are contacted frequently by residents who don’t have any off-street parking requesting a public charging facility nearby, and it’s important that we listen to what our residents want and find solutions, especially when it’s for something that will benefit more than just the individual."
Through the government’s Local EV Infrastructure fund, the council has provisionally been allocated £1.7million to improve the roll out of primarily low-powered local charging infrastructure.
The fund aims to accelerate delivery of local charge points, enable more residents to switch to EVs, and to help those without off-street parking.
Cllr Hadley continued:
"We want to ensure delivery of local charge points is carried out where they are needed, and this consultation will feed into the strategy that is being produced and remove the barriers to enable our residents to transition to electric vehicles.
"The sooner we all switch to more sustainable ways of travelling which includes EV vehicles as well as walking or cycling for shorter journeys, the better for the environment and for the air quality across our conurbation, so I encourage everyone to go online and feed into this consultation."
The focus of the strategy will include the continued provision of publicly accessible off-street charge points in key destinations; the provision of public charge points located near to EV owners’ homes; and the creation of mobility hubs encompassing public, shared and active travel modes to improve access to and connectivity between sustainable travel modes.
Linked to the EV strategy is the potential to upgrade and expand the community car club fleet across the BCP area.
Making use of community car club vehicles can replace some car journeys or the need for a personal vehicle entirely, and electric vehicle car clubs offer low carbon, flexible use vehicles without the need for vehicle ownership.
This consultation also provides an opportunity for residents, businesses and visitors to identify locations where they would like to see the provision of electric community car club vehicles, to provide additional sustainable transport options.
The deadline for consultation responses is 1 October 2023. For more information and to take part, please visit BCP Council's Engagement HQ here.
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The community car club is currently provided by Co-Wheels here.