The decision, approved at Hounslow’s Council Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 15 November, will see 2,000 new charging points installed by 2026.
With soaring demand for electric vehicles by residents and businesses, the rollout of this charging infrastructure is also part of the Council’s aim to reach zero emissions by 2030. Whilst the council is prioritising projects that encourage more trips by active travel and public transport as part of its wider transport strategies, this is not possible for every journey and steps to decarbonise vehicles will also play an essential role. The adoption of EVs will also help reduce air pollution across Hounslow and improve the health outcomes of local communities.
The decision also follows a public consultation on the draft EV strategy between 22 July and 11 September this year.
A key objective of the strategy is to prioritise locations and infrastructure that will enable high-mileage drivers such as private hire, taxi and fleet drivers to make the transition to EVs. A further aim is to locate a great level of chargers in areas with limited off-street parking and for five per cent of car parking spaces in current council housing estates to be equipped with a charging point by late 2023.
Councillor Katherine Dunne, Hounslow Council’s cabinet member for Climate, Environment and Transport Strategy, said:
“I’d like to thank people across the borough who gave us their views in the consultation on how the Council can develop the right electric vehicle charging infrastructure to meet local needs.”
“With this data, the council can now start planning for the next generation of EV charging that will maximise the uptake of zero-emission vehicles. This will allow residents in all types of homes and locations to play their part in committing to a vital part of our work to decarbonise our borough. We will work to make sure the charging locations are in the right places for you to use.”
The following steps will be for site assessment work to begin on the proposed locations for the first series of chargers. A tender process will also start for suppliers to provide the chargers and related infrastructure. Public consultation on specific charger locations is due to open in Spring 2023.
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