Electric vehicle charging points installed across Chichester district

Having successfully bid for a £58,000 government grant from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, Chichester District Council has purchased and installed 18 charging points in eight of the council’s car parks across the district:

- Bosham Lane car park, Bosham

- Northern Crescent car park, East Wittering;

- North Street car park, Midhurst;

- East Pallant car park, Chichester;

- Northgate car park, Chichester;

- Avenue de Chartres car park, Chichester;

- Pound Street car park, Petworth

- East Street car park, Selsey.

The district council said users can pay for the service and electricity, either through the InCharge app, or by paying with a card or tag from the service provider.

Councillor Penny Plant, cabinet member for the environment and Chichester Contract Services, said: "As a council we are committed to improving air quality and making steps to tackle climate change. This project is one of many ways we are trying to make a difference.

“If we want more people to use electric vehicles, we have to make it easier for them to charge their cars.

"We’ve thought carefully about where to locate the chargers and identified key locations where visitors will be encouraged to stop and explore, while their car charges, so that they spend time and money in the district."

The majority of chargers have been installed in car parks close to housing without driveways or garages.

Councillor Plant said this 'may encourage more householders to purchase an electric vehicle'.

She added: “We’re very grateful for the grant we received from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and for the support we received from the Energy Savings Trust in helping us to submit our bid.”

The district council said it also uses electric cars for some of its own services, including two electric vehicles which are used by the parking service to carry out daily enforcement patrols.

A spokesman said: "This is both environmentally friendly and offers significant savings over the lifetime of the vehicle.

"More information about the electric vehicle charging points available in Chichester District Council car parks across the district, can be found at www.chichester.gov.uk/electricparking.

"Anyone thinking of purchasing an electric vehicle can also currently access a grant of up to £3,500 from the Government if they purchase a new car. More information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/grants-for-plug-in-vehicles."