Croydon Council launches new electric vehicle charging points

Croydon Council is to install 60 electric vehicle charging points throughout the Borough, with 20 more planned before February next year.

Part of Croydon’s plans to boost sustainable travel in response to the climate crisis, many of the points are in place and ready to use, with the rest to be installed before the end of the year. The charging points will be spread across 32 different sites across the Borough.

In partnership with Liberty Charge, these points come as part of a wider scheme supported by central government through the Innovate UK grant, which will see 600 points installed across London by the end of winter. The council said it is currently working towards the goal of 400 new charging points by the spring of 2022.

As part of its commitment to an electric future, Croydon Council has also added four fully electric and 24 hybrid vehicles in its service fleet, with the vehicles being used for caretaking services.

This scheme is a part of the council’s wider plans to tackle the climate crisis and build resilience by enabling green infrastructure projects in Croydon. New cycle routes, public transport improvements, and pedestrian-friendly street projects are proposed to work with plans to expand access to electric vehicles.

Councillor Muhammad Ali, cabinet member for sustainable Croydon, said: “Making electric vehicles a more accessible option for Croydon residents is a key part of our plan to lower emissions and reduce harmful air pollution.

“These charge points put us on track to meet the growing demand in the borough, and help to support residents thinking of making the switch to greener travel alternatives. We look forward to working with our partners to explore even more opportunities to bring green innovation to Croydon.”

Neil Isaacson, CEO of Liberty Charge, said: “Croydon is an example of a forward-thinking borough that is getting on the front foot when it comes to aiding the adoption of EVs, which is inevitable. We’re collectively against the clock on our sustainability targets and need to get cleaner air into cities. This means getting charge points in the ground and providing the infrastructure to support a growing number of EV drivers and is exactly what local authorities up and down the country should be doing now.”