3000 new private electric car charging points in Bradford
It's ahead of the government's target to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 .
Planning conditions imposed on new housing developments have created over 3,000 electric vehicle charging points in the Bradford District.
As part of a push to reduce Carbon emissions, Bradford Council’s planning department requires housing developments to include EV charging points as a condition of granting planning permission fornew houses.
A recent report by the Council says this policy, which requires a charging point for each house with a dedicated parking space, has led to private EV charging points being created at 3,000 homes.
The report also reveals that work is underway to provide public charging points in areas where households don’t have access to off street parking, with more facilities likely to spring up on Council owned land and car parks.
The planning changes date back to 2013 when Bradford Council introduced its Low Emission Strategy, which set out to “develop consistent electric vehicle recharging standards for new developments in Bradford.”
Government targets aim to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 – with electric vehicles expected to be the norm beyond then.
A report on traffic projects that was recently presented to the Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee said EV charging points were also being created at new build Council
Sedbergh Leisure Centre has EV charging points, and there will also be points in the parking areas of the under construction Oakworth Crematorium rebuild and Darley Street Market projects.
22 rapid charging points have been installed across the District using funding from the Government’s Office of Low Emission Vehicles through its Taxi Infrastructure scheme.
It is an attempt to encourage more taxi drivers to switch their vehicles to electric.
The report adds: “A project is underway to install fast (7-22kW) chargers in residential settings particularly where homes do not have access to their own off street parking, council land such as car parks will be utilised.
“Community Infrastructure Levy funds have been secured for this project, plus an application for a further 75 per cent funding will be applied for from the governments Off Street Residential Charging Scheme grant.”
The policy requiring developers to install EV charging points is often at odds with other green travel schemes.
With every large housing application, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which is consulted on major schemes, suggests the developer be asked to fund travel cards that will allow future residents to travel on buses for free for a year.
However, Bradford Council usually ignores this request, instead opting for EV charging points.
The issue was raised at a meeting of the Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee last month, when Green Councillor Matt Edwards (Tong) asked why EV charging points were preferred over free bus passes.
Planning officer Malcolm Joy said: “Metro cards last a year. If someone leaves after three months they take the card with them, future residents don’t benefit from this.
“After the year is over the take up rate of people who renew these cards is very, very low.
“Eventually electric cars are going to be the norm in this country. Once you install an EV charging point on a house it is there forever.
“If you put an EV point in yourself after the house is built it can be expensive. Building it into the house is much cheaper. Adding a charging point is of much more benefit to residents.”