The London borough of Hackney has pledged to become a national leader in electric vehicle charging, after agreeing a deal with Zest to add more than 2500 charge points in the next four years.
The inner London borough currently has 346 electric vehicle charging points, but council chiefs have pledged to expand that network to 3000 units by 2026 in order to meet its carbon reduction goals under its Climate Action Plan.
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Hackney Council has agreed a deal with British charging firm Zest to provide and operate 2500 fast and slow chargers across the borough, and says it is close to another deal to add up to 150 rapid chargers.
The borough measures approximately seven square miles, and Hackney Council claims that the 3000 chargers would result in the most concentrated network of EV chargers in any local authority area in the UK.
Zest will start to install the network later this year. Of the chargers, 1500 will be slow-speed chargers mounted to existing lampposts, while the 500 fast chargers and 75 rapid chargers – all of which will have capacity for two vehicles charging simultaneously – will be installed in existing parking bays.
Every charging point will have a dedicated EV-only parking bay, and the council says that 300 of the chargers will be installed in housing estates, with at least one charging point will be installed in every housing estate in the borough.
The charging network will come at no cost to the Council, with Zest funding both the costs of installing and running the network. The charging points will all use “100 per cent renewable energy”, with discounted rates available for residents of the borough through Hackney Light and Power.
Councillot Mete Coban MBE, Hackney’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “While we are proud to champion walking, cycling and public transport first and foremost, the switch to EVs will help to tackle pollution and create a greener, healthier Hackney.
“This programme sits alongside our plans for a low traffic Hackney, with thousands of new bike parking spaces and safer walking routes. Over the next few months we want to work with every community in Hackney to shape where these charging points go across our streets and estates.”
At present, only a third of households in Hackney own a car, and the council says the network will be designed to encourage existing drivers and business to switch to EVs, and to provide services for new EV car clubs.
Zest, which is based by the UK government’s Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund, offers managed charging networks for both public sector and commercial operators. It currently has chargers ranging in speed from 7kW to 120kW.
Several councils have recently announced plans to dramatically increase the availability of EV chargers, with Surrey County Council signing a deal for up to 10,000 units.
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