Dudley Metropolitan Council has announced that the installation of 37 new on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging points is about to begin across the borough as part of a £420k scheme funded through an Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) grant and a charge- point operator contribution.
The move follows the authority’s consultation last year on 53 proposed EV charge point locations, 37 of which had majority support, and have been chosen to host the metre-high charge points. Described as ’small’ and ’unobtrusive’, the posts have been designed to sit at the edge of the footway for residents who wish to own an EV, but do not have their own drive, or access to off-street charging facilities.
The charge points will charge at 7kW, which can potentially provide a full charge in roughly six hours.
Councillor Dr Rob Clinton, cabinet member for climate change, said: “The installation of these charge points will form an important role in Dudley borough’s mixed approach to EV charging. They will not only help those residents who would struggle to charge an electric vehicle from their home but will also help us to reduce emissions as part of the Black Country Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle Strategy.
“This is just one of many small changes we are making at a local level which cumulatively will have a big impact.”
Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “The charge points are small and discreet and should take around four days to fit so will cause minimal disruption to residents.
“This investment will give thousands of our residents the convenience of accessing EV charge points on their street rather than having to install their own points from their home. Dedicated, shared charging bays make this a safer, more efficient way of bringing charge points to our communities.”
The EV chargers will be available to the public with, at minimum, a Pay-As-You-Go payment system. Each charge point should take up to a week to install, including signage and road markings.
A consultation for proposals for further charge points in more locations across the borough is set to launch in the coming weeks.
