100 public electric vehicle charging points for West Suffolk

13 Mar 2023

West Suffolk Council has signed a deal that will see around 100 new fast and rapid public charging electric vehicle (EV) points on council owned land this year.

Figures published in January 2023 by the Department for Transport data show that West Suffolk is already in the top 29 per cent of councils nationally for public charging points for EVs, both in total number of devices, and for devices per 100,000 population.

Under the deal, ubitricity will install and maintain the public charging infrastructure. Motorists will be able to pay the competitive rates by card or by using the Shell Recharge app. The sites will include town centres, leisure centres, country parks and car parks with a programme, to be rolled out this year, to be shared in advance with local communities.

Having declared environment and climate change emergencies, West Suffolk Council is working towards being carbon net zero by 2030. It is also a key contributor to the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan. Partnerships are seen as key to this work and to developing the EV charging infrastructure yet further.

Cllr Andy Drummond, Cabinet member for Regulatory and Environment at West Suffolk Council said,

‘This sees a step change in availability of public charging points ahead of the change from fossil fuel vehicles in 2030. I welcome the collaboration with ubitricity and am delighted that the energy motorists are to be supplied is from the same company that buys the energy we generate from our council-owned solar farm, and at competitive rates. In December we published a position statement on EV charging point infrastructure and to see this being delivered so quickly shows the pace we are working at to be carbon net zero by 2030.’

Toby Butler, UK managing director of ubitricity said,

“We are thrilled to be working on this project with West Suffolk. West Suffolk are a leading council when it comes to EV charge point infrastructure. By expanding their network, they are making the transition to EV much more accessible to their residents and putting real momentum behind decarbonising their roads. West Suffolk are setting an incredible standard for other councils to follow.”

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