Maidenhead motorists asked about electric car charging points
The council is working on its 10-year plan
Residents living in and around Maidenhead are being asked for their views on plans for Electric Vehicle Chargepoints.
The implementation plan sets out how the council will ensure charging provision for electric vehicles keeps pace with demand and contains a number of proposed policies on the delivery and operation of chargepoints in the borough, as well as general principles on where they should be located.
The sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in the UK will end in 2030 and with the target of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
The 10-year plan is due to commence in the 2023/24 financial year. To meet the demand, it is anticipated there will need to be around 600 on-street chargepoints at up to 300 ‘Connected Corner’ sites - where on-street charging will usually be located near street corners, serving multiple streets. In addition, the plan outlines the need for more than 120 chargepoints in council car parks, along with almost 100 rapid recharge points at service stations in the borough.
Councillor Phil Haseler, Cabinet Member for Planning, Parking, Highways & Transport, said:
“In our borough, 33% of carbon emissions come from the vehicles on our roads. The council is committed to working with partners and the community to tackle climate change and switching the way we power our cars and vans is a critical component of this.
“Many residents and businesses have already embraced electric vehicles, and we know that many more will be keen to do so over the coming years. We recognise that for everyone to make the switch, the right charging infrastructure will need to be available around the borough. We want to give as many people as possible the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle at the earliest opportunity, to decarbonise borough emissions as rapidly as we can. This plan, which we committed to deliver in our Corporate Plan, sets out how the council will play its role in ensuring infrastructure is put in place, in readiness for the upcoming national bans on sales of new petrol and diesel vehicles.
“The plan seeks to balance meeting the demand for chargepoints in built-up areas with avoiding ‘not spots’ of inadequate chargepoint provision in the borough’s villages and more rural areas. We want to ensure this plan meets the needs that people have across our borough, and I would encourage as many as possible to respond to the consultation, so that it can be finalised following your feedback.”
For full details and to respond to the consultation visit, https://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/evcip
A hard copy of the consultation and paper response forms are available upon request at libraries in the borough.