F&HDC Cllrs Susan Carey and Jim Martin are pictured with their electric vehicles at the new charging points at The Paddocks car park in Hythe.
The first of the district’s new 94 charging points for electric vehicles (EV) are now up and running.
These are in car parks at Church Road, New Romney, High Knocke, Dymchurch, and The Paddocks, Hythe. From Friday 11 March, those at Tram Road, Folkestone, and Wilberforce Road, Sandgate, will be working, making a total of 20 points across the five car parks.
Work is underway at 23 more sites and it is expected all will be operational by the end of April 2022.
The six existing off-street points, provided by F&HDC, will be replaced. A total of 23 charging points provided by commercial businesses are already in place and will remain.
The charging points offer a mixture of fast 7Kwh, 22kw and rapid 50Kwh, depending on the location.
A total of 600 points will be installed across the county over the next two years, with districts applying for 75% funding through KCC, and Connected Kerb funding the remaining 25%.
The other five authorities are Gravesham Borough Council, Medway Council, Sevenoaks District Council, Thanet District Council, and Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.
Cllr Lesley Whybrow, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said the installation is part of the council’s pledge to drive down its carbon footprint. She added: “I am delighted that we are increasing the number of EV charging points in our district and I hope that this will give people the confidence to consider changing to an electric vehicle.”
Cllr Ray Field, Cabinet Member for Transport and Digital Transformation, said for people who have to use cars, making EV charging accessible was a priority: “Knowing that you will be able to arrive at virtually any car park in the district, at any time, in any vehicle and easily charge your battery is the way forward for us all.”
The remaining 23 car parks where the charging points are being installed are:
- Folkestone – Civic Centre Visitors, East Cliff, Foresters Way, Pleydell Gardens, Sandgate Road, Shellon Street, The Coastal Park, Upper Payers.
- Hythe – Battery Point, Fisherman’s Beach, Military Road, Mount Street, The Lade, Twiss Fort.
- Dymchurch – Dymchurch Central, Martello.
- Sandgate – Castle Road, Lower Sandgate Road West.
- Cheriton – Broomfield Road.
- Greatstone – Jolly Fisherman.
- Littlestone – Coast Drive.
- Lyminge – Station Road.
- New Romney – West Street.
For a guide as to how the charging points work, go to: https://www.connectedkerb.com/charge-your-car/how-to-charge/