Kent County Council (KCC) announced on 5 February 2026 that it will bring an estimated 1,200+ new on‑street electric vehicle charging points to residential streets in Folkestone. The work is part of a county‑wide programme to install 10,000 on‑street chargers across Kent in partnership with private investment and government funding.
The new chargers will be prioritised for dense residential streets where off‑street parking is not available, including areas such as East Cliff, Central Folkestone and Cheriton. KCC has awarded a 20‑year contract to Charge Point Operator Urban Fox, which will deploy predominantly bollard‑style AC chargers (the network is expected to include mainly 7kW units suitable for overnight charging).
The programme is funded in part by a Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) capital grant of just over £12 million from the Department for Transport, alongside private investment from Urban Fox. KCC says the scheme is intended to make switching to electric vehicles easier for people who cannot charge at home and to improve local air quality.
Folkestone & Hythe District Council has worked with KCC and local communities to help identify high‑demand streets and gather resident nominations for charger locations. KCC has invited residents to suggest streets via an interactive map and engagement process. The first phase of installations in the county is scheduled to begin in summer 2026, with Urban Fox and KCC undertaking surveys, resident engagement and site assessments before physical works commence.
Local officials say the aim is to ensure reliable charge points are available within a short walk of people’s homes. The bollard‑style 7kW chargers are designed for overnight use so residents can charge their vehicles while they sleep, similar to using a home charger.
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