Cllr Coban (right) – image: Hackney Council
One of the country’s biggest expansions of electric vehicle (EV) charging points is a step closer after Hackney Council agreed to install nearly 3,000 chargers on the borough’s streets by 2030.
Earlier this month, the council backed the plans to enter into 15 year contracts with two companies to provide a range of slow, fast and rapid EV charging points across the borough.
The move will see the current total of 303 council-owned charging points increased to 3,000 in the next eight years.
There are currently 42,000 registered vehicles in Hackney with 1,170 (2.7%) being plug-in EV vehicles. It is estimated that by 2030 around 20% of all vehicles in the UK will be battery electric.
However, the council has ambitious plans to encourage a 90% take up of electric vehicles in Hackney by 2030 – which supports its aims to become a net zero carbon borough by 2040.
The council says one of the biggest challenges to encouraging people to switch to an EV is the concern about the lack of charging points – adding that through these contracts it is seeking to have at least one charging point per estate.
The charging stations will be powered by 100% renewable electricity, which will in some cases be locally generated.
Cllr Mete Coban MBE, cabinet member for energy, waste, transport and public realm, said: “These new charging points will help reduce the concerns some people have about switching to an electric vehicle.
“In turn this will benefit all of our residents as it will help enhance the borough’s air quality
“While encouraging more people to switch to an electric vehicle, if we are going to make Hackney an even better place to live and work we also must continue looking at schemes to drive an overall reduction in vehicle ownership.
“This is where initiatives such as School Streets and low traffic neighbourhoods – supporting us all to walk, cycle and use public transport locally – play a key role.”
The council will be consulting with residents and partners on where to place the new charging points this year with work to install them expected to start in 2023.
21 July 2022