Westmorland and Furness Council has taken another significant step in its commitment to a greener future, with the approval of Part Two of its EV Infrastructure Strategy.
The strategy, which was agreed at a meeting of Cabinet in April, builds on Part One, which laid the groundwork for EV adoption.
This latest phase focuses on the importance of working with the private sector, encouraging businesses and developers to incorporate EV charging into both new and existing sites.
A set of targets have been put in place to demonstrate the council’s commitment to delivering EV charging infrastructure over the next five years, which include:
- Ensuring that all Westmorland and Furness Council owned car parks have EV chargepoint infrastructure by 2030;
- Delivering 1,548 additional chargepoint sockets across the area by 2030;
- Enabling 60% of households without off-street parking to be within a three-minute walk of a chargepoint by 2030;
- Working with potential partners to increase availability in third-party car parks; and
- Hosting an annual open day where residents can learn more about EVs and the benefits of making the switch.
Councillor Peter Thornton, Cabinet Member for Highways and ICT, said, “Expanding our EV infrastructure is essential for ensuring that our roads and transport network are fit and robust for the future.
“By providing more charging points in key locations, we can support residents and businesses in making the switch to electric vehicles with confidence, while also improving connectivity across Westmorland and Furness.
“We are committed to working closely with local stakeholders, businesses, and community groups to ensure the roll-out of the expanded EV network meets the needs of everyone.”
