Grant to boost electric vehicle charging points

A grant of more than £12m from the Department for Transport has been awarded to Kent County Council

A grant of more than £12m from the Department for Transport has been awarded to Kent County Council (KCC) to help increase the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points in the county.

The council said it would use the funding to continue the roll out of local charging infrastructure by providing thousands of on-street EV charging bays over the next 10 years.

Rob Thomas, KCC cabinet member for the environment, said: “By making EV charging points more accessible and efficient, more people will choose to drive electric and will contribute positively to our air quality and environment.”

Residents are being invited to share their views on where they think charge points should be located.

Neil Baker, KCC cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “As we continue to see the number of EVs registered in the county increase, so does the need for accessible and reliable public charging infrastructure, particularly for our residents who do not have the option to charge at home."

The delivery of the programme is set to begin in 2025.

Over the coming months, KCC will appoint an operator partner to install and operate the network of charge points.

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