Image: ChargyThe first installations are scheduled to begin in the coming months, with around 1,500 charge points expected to be operational within two years. Most chargers will be integrated into existing lamp columns, while standalone units will also be deployed where suitable space is available.Reading Borough Council secured £866,000 in funding from the UK government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund to support the deployment. According to the council, nearly half of households in Reading do not have access to a driveway or private parking space, which has limited EV adoption among residents unable to charge at home.The council links the project to its broader decarbonisation and air quality targets. According to Reading Borough Council, transport accounts for around 26 per cent of local carbon emissions. Alongside the charging rollout, the authority is investing in other low-emission mobility initiatives, including a £9 million programme supporting the deployment of 49 electric buses, as well as measures to encourage cycling and walking.“This scheme aims to speed up the transition to electric vehicles by giving households across Reading access to around 2,600 public charging points. Almost half of households in the borough do not have driveways or off-street parking which is a significant barrier to people choosing EVs,” said Cllr John Ennis, Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport. “We will be prioritising high-density residential areas without access to off-street parking for the installation of public charging points to clear the way for more people to make the switch to electric.”“Today’s announcement is a big milestone for both char.gy and Reading Borough Council. Together, we’ll deliver thousands of public charge points designed around the way people in Reading actually live, park and travel,”added char.gy CEO John Lewis. “Our goal is to create a network that’s reliable, accessible and fair, giving more people the confidence to make the switch to electric vehicles.”In parallel with the charging rollout, Reading Borough Council is also preparing a separate government-funded initiative focused on pavement charging solutions. The authority has secured an additional £202,000 to support around 400 households in installing pavement channels that allow residents to safely run charging cables from their homes to vehicles parked on the street.char.gy
+32 others
