London to plug in 1,500 more EV charge points

Up to 1,500 new standard-speed electric vehicle (EV) charging points are to be installed in residential areas across London. Almost £4.5 million has been allocated to 25 boroughs for the […]

Up to 1,500 new standard-speed electric vehicle (EV) charging points are to be installed in residential areas across London.

Almost £4.5 million has been allocated to 25 boroughs for the EV charge points – boosting it from the current 2,000 installed across the city – to make EVs an easier and more practical option for Londoners.

That’s in addition to the network of rapid charge points Transport for London (TfL) is installing by the end of 2020.

The latest funding forms part of an award London received from the government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles’ Go Ultra Low City Scheme, a nationwide competition to boost the use of EVs.

The boroughs – which include Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hounslow, Southwark and Westminster – will now work to identify sites where charging points could be installed to support local residents to make the switch to greener vehicles.

The funding will also support innovative approaches such as using lamp posts as the base and power supply for charge points, which is said to be cheaper, quicker and easier to install.

The project supports Mayor Sadiq Khan’s draft Transport Strategy, which aims for all taxis and private hire vehicles to be zero emission by 2023, for all buses to be zero emission by 2037, for all new road vehicles driven in the capital to be zero emission by 2040 and London’s entire transport system to be zero emission by 2050.

Mr Khan said: “This substantial investment in electric charging points will make a real difference, making electric vehicles an easier and more practical option for Londoners across our city. We have a bold ambition to make London’s transport system zero emission by 2050 and working with boroughs to roll out more charging infrastructure is a vital part of making this a reality.

“But we need to be more ambitious in tackling emissions at all levels of government. That’s why I’m calling on ministers to not only introduce a fully-funded diesel scrappage fund to get polluting vehicles off our streets immediately but they must also step up their investment in charging infrastructure to ensure every Londoner can look at moving to electric vehicles over the coming years.”

Further funding will be allocated to interested boroughs in 2018/19 once TfL, London councils and the Greater London Authority are satisfied with the progress being made on the current allocation.

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