Thousands of electric vehicle charge points announced for Birmingham

Birmingham City Council has agreed a 12 year electric vehicle strategy
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Getty

A third of Birmingham’s CO2 emissions comes from transport - with 95% of that caused by cars, vans and other vehicles on the road.

Electric cars are being heralded as one of the best ways that we can help to halt global warming.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that new cars powered wholly by petrol and diesel will not be sold in the UK from 2030.

Many people in Birmingham, Solihull and Sandwell are already looking to purchase electric cars in the coming year - 77% according to a recent survey by Midland Connect.

But they have cited the lack of charge-points as an issue for making this practical.

There are currently 394 electric vehicle charge-points in Birmingham.

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Now Birmingham City Council has announced that it is set to install 3,000 electric vehicle charge-points across the city.

The local authority believes this strategy will help to reduce city emissions by 50% in 2030 - the year the council has working to for Birmingham to be net zero.

The BSI and Motability are working to establish national standards for public EV chargersThe BSI and Motability are working to establish national standards for public EV chargers
The BSI and Motability are working to establish national standards for public EV chargers

But aren’t electric cars really expensive? Is the council doing anything to help this?

The electric charge points are a key part of a  12-year strategy from the council which aims to tackle the barriers that may prevent people from converting to electric vehicles.

The council said it is also looking at how to tackle the expense of electric vehicle purchase. But no further details have been announced about this currently.

Where will I be able to find the electric vehicle charge-points?

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The exact location of each new electric vehicle charge-point has not yet been identified.

But the council has pledged that they will appear in greater numbers and at strategic locations across Birmingham.

They have identified that some may be embedded in kerbstones and lampposts where off-street parking is unavailable.

It has also said that public transport hubs will also be included in the plans to roll out the electric vehicle charge-points.

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Here’s what the council has said: “Charge-points will be deployed along major routes for in-trip charging; at destinations; and in residential areas: locations that will produce the greatest effect on reducing greenhouse gases by 2030.

“Innovative technologies will also be implemented to support the 30% of households which do not have off-street parking, where a private charging-points could be installed.

“In these locations, charge-points may be found embedded in kerbstones and lampposts.

“HS2 will enable more people to visit the city so power-points will also emerge in the new shared public transport hubs, stations and taxi drop-off areas.”

Councillor Zaffar launches the installation of electric charge-points across Birmingham with ESB Energy Electromobility Specialist, Brian CarrollCouncillor Zaffar launches the installation of electric charge-points across Birmingham with ESB Energy Electromobility Specialist, Brian Carroll
Councillor Zaffar launches the installation of electric charge-points across Birmingham with ESB Energy Electromobility Specialist, Brian Carroll

What about taxis?

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The council said that grants to purchase electric hackney carriages and private-hire cars will also be made available from the Government Office for Low Emission Vehicles and Brum Breathes - their campaign which supports the Clean Air Zone.

What has Birmingham City Council transport boss said about the 12-year strategy in his own words?

Cabinet member for Transport and Environment, Councillor Waseem Zaffar said:

“Transport accounts for one third of Birmingham’s CO2 emissions of which 95% derives from road transport. To reduce then eliminate transport emissions it is necessary to both reduce vehicle usage and ownership and shift the remaining vehicles to vehicles without emissions. So, I welcome this long-term strategy which has been modelled to future-proof the council’s transport and environmental needs.”

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