More electric vehicle chargers are coming soon to North Herts, it has been confirmed.

Cllr Daniel Allen, leader of North Herts Council, said at a full council meeting last week that 36 new sockets will be installed at more than 18 new chargepoints in car parks across North Herts.

These will be at the following council-owned car parks:

  • Hillshot in Letchworth
  • Bancroft and Woodside in Hitchin
  • The Twitchell in Baldock
  • The Warren in Royston

The chargepoints are being added by operator Blink Charging, who were given a contract to install, manage and maintain the facilities in 2023.

The contract will come at no cost to the council, with funding coming from Blink Charging and an additional £135,000 grant from the Office for Zero Emission (OZE) Vehicles, awarded in September 2023.

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As part of the contract, existing GeniePoint charge points - now ten years old - will be replaced.

These are located at the following council-owned car parks:

  • Lairage Multi-Storey and Woodside in Hitchin
  • Garden Square Multi-Storey in Letchworth
  • The Twitchell in Baldock
  • Civic Centre in Royston

Two chargepoints for the council's vehicles at the Garden Square Multi-Storey car park will also be replaced, while four new chargepoints for the council's vehicles will be installed at Lairage Multi-Storey.

Cllr Allen said that "officers have been working to finalise the contract with Blink Charging".

"This is near completion, with expected rollout of the chargepoints starting in the autumn, with completion before March 2025 in order to comply with the requirements of the OZE grant."

Cllr Ralph Muncer, who represents Codicote & Kimpton Ward, asked what the council is doing to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points in rural areas.

Cllr Allen said that North Herts Council are working with Hertfordshire County Council in that area.

"They have prepared and are adopting a county-wide electric vehicle charging infrastructure strategy.

"One of the big things to do with that is procuring suppliers to deliver EV chargepoints across the county, and especially working for funding for 25 locations within North Herts, including outer urban locations."