Swarco to add five EV charge points in Basildon and Rochford

This is the second project where Swarco eVolt is working with Basildon Council and Rochford District Council, who partnered to successfully secure funding from the Department for Transport and the Office of Low Emission Vehicles.

The first phase saw the installation of EV charge points around the A127 between Basildon and Rochford District in an effort to improve air quality along this stretch of the major road. The second phase sees the delivery of the final charger installations for general use in car parks in Hockley and Billericay, as well as the new, taxi-specific charging points.

By the time work is completed, Swarco eVolt will have installed seven eVolt Rapids and eight eVolt fast 22kW charging points for public use, with a further five eVolt Rapids specifically for taxis at sites in Basildon town centre, Billericay, Wickford, Rochford and Rayleigh*.

Rochford District Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Community, Cllr Mike Webb said: “We are determined to keep investing in electric vehicle charging infrastructure because this will encourage road users within the district to switch to cleaner, greener vehicles and help to reduce harmful emissions.” 

Chairman of Basildon Council’s Infrastructure and Inclusive Growth Committee, Councillor Adele Brown, said: “When it comes to improving our environment we want to be at the forefront of these initiatives as we encourage businesses and the public to move towards a greener society.

“These latest installations are the start of something great and innovative in Basildon. I look forward to the initiatives that will come in the future, making Basildon a greener and safer environment for residents.”

Chairman of Basildon Council’s Neighbourhoods and Public Spaces Committee, Councillor David Harrison added: “This is great news for the borough and for our environment. It will be of particular benefit to local taxi drivers. The more of these points we can get installed the quicker we can move towards a greener and cleaner borough.”

General Manager of Swarco eVolt, Justin Meyer said: “We are pleased to be working again with Basildon Council and Rochford District Council. Setting up the right infrastructure to support drivers is so important, we hope it will help to persuade more drivers and fleet operators to switch to electric to help improve air quality.

“We know, from work we’ve been doing with councils up and down the country, that taxis and private hire operators are open to switching to ultra-low emission vehicles, and based on their typical journeys using an EV makes perfect sense. Our eVolt charging points, which are set up on our growing Swarco E.Connect network, are very reliable and easy to use. They have been installed at strategic points so will support those who are already driving an EV and encourage others to convert sooner rather than later.”