Scheme to install 10,000 car chargers unveiled

A new £12m government-funded initiative to install 10,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points in Kent was unveiled this week.

Kent County Council (KCC) awarded a 20-year contract to charge point operator Urban Fox to install sockets across the county.

The scheme is part of a national strategy to expand access to on-street charging, particularly in areas where home charging is not an option.

KCC said the money had been provided through the Department for Transport's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capital Fund, making it the largest LEVI project in England.

The project will start this summer with a focus on locations with limited off-street parking, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A KCC statement said: "The programme is part of KCC's wider strategy to modernise transport and support innovation across Kent, including the recent programme that involved installing 200 public charge points, mainly in car parks, across the county."

Peter Osborne, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "We're pleased to support this programme because it offers practical help for residents and prepares Kent for the future.

"It will deliver reliable and affordable charging within walking distance of their homes, which is particularly important for people who do not have off-road parking – and it's being delivered at no extra cost to council tax payers."

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