Cheshire East Council has secured more than £2.3 million in funding to install EV charge points at about 175 sites across the borough.
The funding, awarded through the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) and the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (LEVI), will help expand access to EV charging, particularly for residents without off-street parking.
These plans also support the council’s EV charging strategy and the UK’s zero emission mandate.
ORCS-funded EV charge points will be installed at 15 locations, this summer, at council car parks and selected on-street locations across Alsager, Congleton, Crewe, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Middlewich, Nantwich, Sandbach, and Wilmslow.
Further sites are planned in the coming years through LEVI funding, with the council aiming to appoint an operator to deliver additional on-street chargers.
Councillor Mark Goldsmith, chair of Cheshire East Council’s highways and transport committee, said, “With EV ownership in Cheshire East expected to rise from 8,000 to nearly 100,000 by 2030, this funding is vital.
“It helps us close gaps in the current network and support the growing number of EV drivers.”
Councillor Sam Corcoran, Cheshire East Council’s environment and climate change member champion, said, “This much needed funding will help us install hundreds more charge points, support the transition to electric vehicles and help our efforts to reduce carbon emissions across the borough.”
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said, “Making EV charging easier and more seamless with our everyday lives is vital to achieve our net-zero goals.
“It’s brilliant therefore to see Cheshire East Council confirm they will be installing charge points later this year thanks to our funding boost alongside private investment.”
