A number of on-street electric vehicle charging sites will be installed across Rutland

15 locations have been identified

Author: Sarah Ward Local Democracy Reporting ServicePublished 9th Oct 2024

A network of on-street electric vehicle charging sites will be installed across Rutland.

About 15 locations across the county have been identified as sites to install up to 30 charging points, with some locations having more than one, and paid for by a government cash grant as part of a pilot project. A further 144 charging points could also be coming down the line as part of a larger scheme.

The county council has been given the funding of £107,615 and its cabinet approved the proposal yesterday (Tuesday 8th October).

Cabinet member Cllr Christine Wise (Lib Dem) said:

“The overall aim of this project is to increase the charging infrastructure in areas that might not otherwise attract commercial  interests.

“In this way they will make owning an electric car more viable for people who do not have off street car parking and also for visitors.”

The authority has identified a list of sites where the chargers could potentially go, and the final decision will be made after more technical work and discussions with parish councils.

The possible sites proposed are:

Barrowden, two sites identified at Wakerley Road and Main Street

Caldecott, two sites identified at Lyddington Road and Church Lane

Cottesmore, Main Street

Belton in Rutland, Church Street

Braunston Cedar Street

Edith Weston, Derwent Avenue

Empingham, Willoughby Drive

Great Casteron, Old Great North Road

Ketton, two sites identified at Manor Green and Empingham Road

Langham, Well Street

Lyddington, Main Street

Manton, St Marys Road

Market Overton, Teigh Road

Morcott, High Street

North Luffenham, Butt Lane

Riddlington, Top Road 

Ryhall, Francis Court

South Luffenham, Stamford Road

Whissendine, Main Street

Wing, two sites identified Glaston Road and Morcott Road

Oakham, two sites identified Long Row and Braunston Road

Uppingham, two sites identified at Leicester Road and the Co-op car park

They will all be on county council land to prevent delays as Cllr Wise said the government is keen to move at pace on the project. The preference is for two charging bays per site.

The authority was given a grant of £107,312 by the government for the pilot project and has joined other councils including Leicestershire and Lincolnshire as part of the scheme. It will receive another £312,00 which will pay for the other 100 plus sites.

Company Gamma Energy, has been awarded the 15 year contract, but will soon be changing its name to Wenea. It will pay for the maintenance of the sites and also take the revenue generated from them.

Leader Gale Waller (Lib Dem) said she was grateful to the government for the cash, adding: “I think it is very good news for Rutland.  I’m not sure we would ever have managed to get the resources together for charging points.”

The installations will begin within the next three to six months and the aim is to have them all installed within 18 months.

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