North Yorkshire is set to receive 140 new chargepoints for electric vehicles under a scheme announced today by the Department for Transport.
The county’s seven districts, including Harrogate, will each get 20 chargers.
The chargepoints will installed at on-street locations and at larger petrol-station charging hubs.
It is hoped the move will give drivers without home chargers more confidence to switch to electric, and reduce ‘range anxiety’ among existing electric vehicle users by helping to ensure motorists are never far from a chargepoint.
North Yorkshire County Council was awarded the funding today.
The council previously suggested that Markington, Pateley Bridge and Conyngham Hall in Knaresborough could receive new chargepoints in the Harrogate district. But it has yet to confirm the locations after today’s news.
Councillor Greg White, the council’s executive member for climate change, welcomed the funding. He said:
“The switch to electric vehicles is necessary as North Yorkshire moves towards becoming carbon zero, but the rural nature of the county presents some significant challenges.
“We worked hard to come up with an innovate scheme which will begin to provide the answers motorists need if they are to have the confidence to go electric.”
The chargers are part of the new Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme where the council and industry work in partnership.
Companies are putting £200,000 towards the scheme.
The council will install more electric chargers (photo: Andrew Roberts/Unsplash)
Harrogate currently has six public charging points – though the type and number of charging points varies between each station.
Knaresborough currently has two charging points whilst Ripon has four.
National plans
North Yorkshire is one of the first nine areas to receive funding.
A total of £20 million has been allocated for the pilot scheme nationally.
The government plans to eventually invest £450 million into the scheme nationwide.
It intends to grow the network of charging points around the country with more than 1,000 new charging stations set to be installed.
Decarbonisation minister Trudy Harrison said:
Plan to demolish Harrogate council depot buildings for car parking“We want to expand and grow our world-leading network of EV chargepoints, working closely with industry and local government, making it even easier for those without driveways to charge their electric vehicles and support the switch to cleaner travel.”
A plan to demolish buildings on a Harrogate Borough Council depot to make way for car parking space looks set to be approved.
The borough council plan would see six buildings on the Claro Road depot site flattened in order to create space for bin lorries and other council vehicles to park.
As part of the plan, 10 electric vehicle charging points would also be implemented in an effort to encourage the use of electric and hybrid cars.
A total of 47 car park spaces would be created, along with 36 for council vans and 36 for bin lorries.
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The council also plans to build a new toilet and shower block on the site.
Officials at the authority have recommended that the plan is approved a planning committee meeting on Thursday, April 21.
A council report due before councillors next week says that the proposal would have a “positive impact” on the local area.
It says:
“The proposed development will have a positive impact on the character of the area and will have no significant impact highway safety, or residential amenity.”
Council officials added that the introduction of electric vehicle charging points would help to improve the “sustainability of the site and help reduce greenhouse gases”.
Harrogate council awards £280,000 electric vehicle contract to London firmA London company has been awarded a £280,000 contract to install 34 electric vehicle charging points across the Harrogate district.
Connected Kerb, which installs charging points across the country, has been appointed to oversee the project.
The company has already overseen electric vehicle charging point projects in Kent and Swindon.
Harrogate Borough Council has commissioned the company on a contract due to start this month.
The company will be tasked with installing, maintaining and managing charging points at:
- Victoria Multi-Storey Car Park, Harrogate
- Hornbeam Park Car Park, Harrogate
- Civic Centre Car Park, Harrogate
- Claro Depot, Harrogate
- Ripon Cathedral Car Park
- Masham Market Place
- Knaresborough, Chapel Street Car Park
- Pateley Bridge Southlands Car Park
Cllr Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said previously:
“The Harrogate district has seen a rapid uptake in the purchase of electric vehicles, outstripping all other districts in North Yorkshire.
“If we are to achieve our ambition of net-zero by 2038 it is important we support those residents that have the ability to purchase electric cars, while also encouraging more cycling and walking.
“These new charging points will support the uptake in electric vehicles for both our residents and our visitor economy.”
Read more:
- Harrogate council staff could be offered electric cars
- Locations of 34 electric vehicle charge points revealed
- Harrogate businesses go electric as number of cars licensed doubles
The contract is due to end in January 2027, however a council report published last month recommending the contractor be appointed said this could be extended.
The move comes as the council aims to get 10,000 electric vehicles on the districts’ roads by 2023.
To help hit this target, the authority plans to install charge points at several council-owned locations to encourage motorists to make the switch ahead of the government’s ban on the sale of petrol, diesel and hybrid cars in 2030.
