Residents in Reading will soon see a significant expansion in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, with Reading Borough Council announcing plans to install around 2,600 new public charging points across the town. Supported by £866,000 from the UK Government‘s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure fund, the project aims to help households without off-street parking make the switch to electric cars.
Almost half of the households in Reading do not have driveways, which the council has identified as a primary barrier for residents considering electric vehicles. By placing chargers directly on residential streets, the project aims to ensure that at least 90 per cent of these homes are within 100 metres of a charging point. To keep street-level disruption to a minimum, most units will be attached to existing lamp columns, with standalone units added only where there is sufficient space.
The council has entered a 15-year partnership with char.gy, an operator specialising in on-street charging. Installation is expected to begin in the coming months, with approximately 1,500 charging points aimed to be operational within the next two years. In addition to the main network, the council has received a further £202,000 to help around 400 households install pavement channels, allowing them to charge vehicles on the street directly from their homes.
This initiative is a key part of the council’s strategy to reach its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2030. Transport currently accounts for about 26 per cent of the borough’s carbon footprint, and officials hope that improving access to charging infrastructure will help lower these emissions significantly over the coming years.
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