Photo: Ashford BC
Ashford Borough Council has said it’s forging ahead with plans to increase the number of Electric Vehicle Charging Points (EVCPs) within the borough.
With an increasing number of drivers opting for electric vehicles, the council wants to provide its residents and visitors with the ability to charge their vehicles when using our car parks. It has embarked on a programme to increase the number of EVCPs.
One of the three priorities in the council’s draft Corporate Plan is ‘Planet’ which includes promoting cleaner travel to reduce the use of fossil fuel. Ashford is committed to becoming net zero in its own operations by 2030 and aspires for the borough to be net zero by 2050. By directly funding additional charging points, the council says it can support the global move towards electric vehicles, and work towards achieving their green objectives.
The council says it has installed 26 EVCPs since September 2022 which service 37 bays. These are at the Civic Centre, Victoria Road, Elwick Place, Adley’s Yard, Edinburgh Road and Station Road (Tenterden). It is also finalising works on the EVCPs at Vicarage Lane, Station Road (Ashford) and Tenterden Leisure Centre which will provide an additional eight charging points which will service 16 parking bays.
Council Chief Executive Tracey Kerly said:
“It is widely believed that one of the biggest obstacles of owning and running an electric vehicle is the lack of infrastructure charging facilities. We have an ambitious carbon neutral target and need to support our residents and visitors who would like to own and run an electric vehicle. As more people will be buying electric cars in the future, this project will help to facilitate this change.
“One of the key elements of this project is a learning experience – identifying the best charging solutions for different situations and locations and using our assets in better, smarter ways.”