Published: Tuesday, 17th January 2023
New electric car charging points have become available to residents to use in King’s Lynn and Hunstanton.
The charging points based in five locations across west Norfolk have opened, ensuring that people with limited access to off-street parking can still choose an electric vehicle.
Mayor of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, Cllr Lesley Bambridge, was joined by Cabinet member for Environment and CO2 reduction, Cllr Paul Kunes to visit several of the new points and used them to charge their electric vehicles.
The Mayor said:
“I’m regularly driven to functions around the borough in the hybrid Mayoral car. This car is more economical and environmentally friendly. Many journeys are short enough to be completed on electric power only.
“These new charging points give our residents more access to charge their electric cars, particularly residents who do not have access to off road parking.”
Cllr Paul Kunes, Cabinet member for the Environment and CO2 reduction, said:
“The Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk is fully committed to playing its part in tackling climate change and has already taken many steps on its own net zero journey. We are also committed to helping our community to do the same.
“Lack of off-street parking at home can pose a barrier when people are considering the switch to electric vehicles, but we are removing that by making nearby charging facilities available. It is also a benefit for visitors who drive to the area in electric vehicles."
The chargers are fast 7kW chargers which are designed for overnight charging or for extended use. The electricity will be paid for by the user via an app or using a bp pulse membership card. The charging points are situated in the following borough council-owned car parks:
Chapel Street, King’s Lynn.
Fairstead Centre Point, King’s Lynn.
Gaywood Library, King’s Lynn.
Lynnsport North, King’s Lynn.
Valentine Road, Hunstanton.
Further charging points based at North Street car park in Burnham Market and Austin Street East car park in King's Lynn will be available in the next few months. Charge points already based in St James' Car Park, King's Lynn and Central car park, Hunstanton, will also be replaced with new equipment later this year.
The borough council secured a grant of £195,000 from the government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and a further contribution of nearly £90,000 from BP Pulse, as well as its own contribution of £73,500. The council has also spent a further £87,000 to install a substation at Austin Street to support the electricity supply and BP Pulse will cover the maintenance costs for 7 years.
The charging points are all being installed in car parks owned by the council. Free parking will be provided between 6pm and 8am when a vehicle is plugged in and charging, to ensure accessibility to residents that need to charge overnight. Normal parking charges apply between 8am and 6pm.
Users should check local signage for restrictions as some EV charging points belong to other providers and different rules and tariffs may apply. The free-parking-while-charging-overnight offer refers specifically to Chapel Street car park, Lynnsport North car park, Gaywood Library car park, Centre Point car park, Fairstead, and Austin Street East car park in King's Lynn, Valentine Road car park in Hunstanton, and North Street car park in Burnham Market.
The Mayor charges the Mayoral hybrid car at the new chargers based at Centre Point in Fairstead.