Suffolk County Council, in partnership with charge point operator (CPO) Believ, will deliver around 6,000 new public electric vehicle (EV) charging sockets across the county to support residents make the transition to EVs.
The county council has made this project possible with a successful £5.3m bid to the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which supports local authorities to plan and deliver charging infrastructure for residents without off-street parking. This roll-out uses a proportion of that funding along with over £16m funding from CPO, Believ.
Beginning in Summer 2025, thousands will be installed on residential streets, with many locations suggested by local residents following a survey last year.
The county council has also worked closely with district and borough councils and communities to identify further suitable sites.
The majority will be bollard-style units at the kerbside, suitable for long-stay or overnight charging. Drivers will be able to benefit from an overnight off-peak tariff, and a dedicated resident’s tariff which features discounted charging at all times.
Public car parks will also see a number of rapid and ultra-rapid charge point installations, allowing for quicker charging.
Councillor Philip Fairclough-Mutton, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Communities and Equality said: “25% of Suffolk households don’t have a driveway and park on their street. This is a significant barrier for people who would like an EV, as they have no convenient way to charge.
“We are providing a solution by installing charge points on their street, or very nearby. Our ambition is to provide them with a public charge point within a 5-10 minute walk or wheel.
“There are around 1.5 million EVs on the country’s roads and we need thousands of new public charge points in Suffolk, and we need them quickly – around 5,400 by 2030, and 12,000 by 2040. Working with Believ, our new installations will bring a significant reduction to those numbers.
“The benefits of EV ownership go beyond helping residents and businesses to reduce their carbon emissions and their impact on climate change. It means together we can contribute to Suffolk’s Climate Emergency Plan, improving Suffolk’s air quality and enabling us to live healthier lives.”