NEW electric vehicle charging points have been installed as part of Colchester Council’s innovative parking and charging scheme.
The Priory Street car park is the first place to benefit from the scheme, as three new charging points have been installed, allowing people to pay to both charge and park their electric vehicles at the same time.
The launch was a joint effort by Colchester Council, the North Essex Parking Partnership, Mobilize Power Solutions and MiPermit – an app that enables cashless parking payments.
The City Council is already considering installing more charging points at locations across the city.
The development is welcome news for electric vehicle owners – a study last November found Colchester had a total of 45 public charging points, the 42nd lowest of 68 UK cities.
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Price comparison site Uswitch, which conducted the study, also found that Colchester had 694 electric vehicles, which equates to approximately 352 per 100,000 people.
EV drivers are allowed to park and charge their cars for four hours to ensure fair rotation of pitches.
Undated handout photo illustrating EV charging. See PA feature MOTORING column. Photo credit should read: Audi/PA. WARNING: This image may only be used in conjunction with the DRIVING PA feature.
Councilor Simon Crow said the charging points are the start of a wider project to introduce more electric vehicle (EV) charging points in Colchester.
He said: “This is a crucial first step in implementing EV charging infrastructure across the county and the prospect of an EV car club is an integral part of that.
“It will bring great benefits to residents and offer the opportunity to use more sustainable modes of transport.”
Mobilize Solutions, owned by car group Renault, played a key role in supplying the electric charging points for Colchester Council.
Mark Dickens, managing director of Mobilize Solutions, said the program will hopefully result in more people switching to electric cars.
He said: “It’s great to be involved in the Council’s environmental strategy.
“By working together, we can ensure residents and businesses have access to the latest EV charging options, which will encourage more EV drivers.”
The users of the new charging points can give feedback on their experiences and the system in general via an online survey.
