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28
Oct
Electric vehicle charging point scheme back on track after legal challenge
The rollout by North Yorkshire Council of electric vehicle charging points across the region looks set to go ahead after a delay caused by legal wrangling in another county.
The council took the decision to procure a charging point operator in July 2023, but the process – and similar ones across the country – was put on hold when a legal challenge was mounted against Oxford City Council. It affected all new procurement legislation impacting English Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS) and framework concession contracts.
Cllr Keane Duncan, North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, told the Stray Ferret:
As a result, we have to now produce new tender documents and approach the open market, which we are now in a position to do.
We hope to go out to tender in the coming months with the appointment of a charging point operator in 2025.
The initiative is being funded by around £8 million from the national Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme.
Cllr Duncan said:
Installing chargers, many of which we hope to be powered sustainably, will help meet ever-growing demand and encourage more environmentally-friendly travel.
It’s essential North Yorkshire is not left behind the rest of the country. We’re keen to support residents and visitors who have already made the switch and those who will do so in future.
We are aiming to deliver more than 1,500 charging points to help meet demand by 2030, details of which can be found in our EV Rollout Strategy, with the exact number and locations determined through the tender process.
In partnership with the chosen charging point operator and local stakeholders, we will ensure points are provided across the county, and in the optimal places to best meet the demand.
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