As part of a bold new trial to make it easier for Mancunians to make the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) dozens of new charging points are now live across the city.
For many people the idea of driving an EV is an attractive one. Driving a more energy efficient car, that does not pollute and can potentially be cheaper to run.
However, for many people the infrastructure needed to run an EV lets them down.
Whether they live in an apartment building, too far from a third party charging station, or aren’t able to have a charging point installed in their home there are a range of obstacles that a potential EV owner may face.
To combat this Manchester City Council, in partnership with AMEY, have embarked on a pilot project to install 38 EV charging points inside lampposts across the city.
Integrated into the existing structure of the lamppost they will allow an EV owner to plug in to the grid at street level, reducing the stress and hassle of trying to find a charging point further away from home. They also provide a more affordable charging alternative compared to more expensive third-party charging points.
To make things as easy as possible, instructions will also be put on the lampposts to explain to motorists how to use them.
Currently, 38 charging points are up and running with a view to install even more if this trial is a success.
They have been distributed across the following wards:
- Burnage
- Charlestown
- Cheetham
- Chorlton
- Chorlton Park
- Clayton and Openshaw
- Didsbury east
- Didsbury west
- Miles Platting and Newton Heath
- Moston
- Northenden
- Rusholme
- Whalley Range
- Withington
These locations have been chosen as they are locations where we know there is a demand for additional support for EVs, where residents have specifically asked for better infrastructure or where there is limited off-street parking.
As this scheme progresses, we’re inviting people to get in touch with the Council to let us know if they would like to see more EV infrastructure in their own wards. That can be done by following this link.
To find out more about other EV support projects in Manchester, follow this link.
Councillor Tracey Rawlins, Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport, said: “As the Council continues its work towards making Manchester a zero-carbon city, initiatives like this will play a vital part in achieving that goal.
“While huge leaps have been made in recent years around EVs, there is still a fundamental barrier for people who may otherwise get one – the ease of charging.
“A lot of our residents don't have off-street parking, and for them, accessing EV charging that is both affordable and accessible is particularly hard. This is a big gap in EV charging infrastructure, in Manchester and elsewhere.
“This scheme provides a practical and efficient solution to this problem. It doesn’t require any extra outlay for our residents, but it will provide them all the benefits of having a charging point at home.
“With this initial tranche of 38 points we’re making a big statement of ambition, and one that we would like to expand across more parts of Manchester if this trial proves to be a success.”