More electric car charge-up points on way

Ten more electric vehicle charging points, with associated bays, will be introduced over the coming weeks after Harborough District Council was successful in securing Government funding to assist residents without off-street parking.

The charge points will be installed, in partnership with EB Charging, in Doddridge Road, St Mary’s West, and Angel Street car parks in Market Harborough – all chosen as they are a short distance from homes without off-street parking. Overnight parking is free at Council-owned car parks from 6pm to 7am.

75 per cent of the funding for the £73,000 project is from Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), with the rest coming from the Council and partners, including nearly £12,000 from EB Charging.

Cllr Jonathan Bateman (pictured), the council’s portfolio holder for Environment and Regulatory Services, said: “We are delighted to be introducing so many new charge points, which directly supports our climate agenda to make the district cleaner and greener. These charge points will be available in the day for residents and visitors to town but, more importantly, the chargers will be available to local residents who aren’t able to have a charger at home because they don’t have off-street parking. The chargers will mean that residents can choose an electric car if they wish, knowing that they can charge nearby.”

The Council has previously introduced electric charging points in Orchard Road, Broughton Astley, School Road, Kibworth Beauchamp, Station Road, Lutterworth, the Commons, Market Harborough, as well as Harborough Innovation Centre and the Grow on Centre. There are also other public charge points across the district.

According to the latest government data there are nearly 250 electric cars registered in Harborough District, but that figure is rising significantly, with some estimates predicting an increase to around 6,000 electric cars by 2025. The number of charge-ups at the Council’s electric points have also increased by over 10 times in the last three years [from 181 to 2036], with a carbon saving of nearly 9,000kg. Also, more than one in four new cars sold in December was electric.

Alex Calnan, CEO of EB Charging, said: “We’re very excited by Harborough’s plans and were happy to offer financial support to the project. We'd like to see zero emission towns and cities everywhere and these charge points will go a long way to supporting cleaner, healthier air in the district. 

It will cost around 34p per kilowatt to charge vehciles, approximately £2.38 for an hour from a seven kilowatt charger, dependent on the vehicle.

Drivers are advised that some car park bays will be unavailable, this month, while cables are laid and the chargers are installed. The charge-up points are expected to be ready to use in March.

Find out more about local electric charge-up points at www.harborough.gov.uk/evehicles