Vehicle Charging Survey

Does Tunbridge Wells need electric vehicle points installed?

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) is planning the future provision of electric vehicle chargers in local car parks. The council has launched a short survey to gather the thoughts lo residents.

In July 2019, TWBC declared a Climate Emergency, recognising the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence pointing towards the impact we are all having on climate change. The Council agreed to take the lead on reducing the borough’s carbon emissions and has been exploring how to improve the electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support residents to purchase cleaner vehicles.

TWBC has been working with Kent County Council to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points in the borough. A Kent-wide procurement tender to provide them in our car parks has already been issued and the council is exploring government funding opportunities to help pay for the costs of installation. The infrastructure can be expensive, and the technology is still developing, so the council needs to gauge demand and ensure a sufficient supply of charging points, whilst achieving value for money for residents. TWBC wants to be sure that the chargers installed are used and have the latest technology.

A survey is now underway to ask residents about their electric charger preferences and what the Council can do to support them to convert to using an electric vehicle. The survey closes on 4 July.

There are already charge points in Crescent Road, Great Hall, and Yew Tree Road car parks. They can all be used during the day or overnight, as all these car parks are open 24 hours. The Council has also partnered with Kent County Council to provide rapid vehicle and taxi charging on street in Mount Pleasant Road in Royal Tunbridge Wells and in Commercial Road East car park in Paddock Wood. They will be available soon.

More on the survey here.