All systems go: New electric vehicle charging points installed

Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency at Forest of Dean District Council, Cllr Chris McFarling said:

“We all need to tackle the causes and impacts of climate change and providing charging points in Council parks is one way in which the Council can help residents and visitors take action by reducing the use of fossil fuels. 

“Transport is the single biggest contributor of emissions in the district, so it’s vital that we move toward greener forms of transport to help combat this.  

"We do understand the rural nature of our area, and without effective, reliable, frequent and affordable public transport, residents still need to use cars to access many of their needs.

“However, Green technology continues to improve, and we understand that in order for people to make the switch to electric vehicles, infrastructure such as new charging points in our car parks must be in place. Providing this infrastructure will bring about noticeable benefits in terms of both air quality and economic value, allowing visitors to spend longer in our town centres and benefitting businesses, as well as helping to reduce pollution when travelling in and around the Forest of Dean. 

“We will be continuing with the roll-out of electric vehicle charging points and improvements to council owned car parks in the coming months."

"We will continue to explore better public transport provision for everyone regardless of their income."

In May 2024, the Council received £199,853 of funding to install thirty-one electric vehicle charging points across the district in council-owned car parks. This equates to sixty-two charging sockets: marking a significant increase in the number of charging points available in the Forest of Dean. 

The charging points are part-funded by the ‘On-Street Residential ChargePoint Scheme’ which is designed to help Local Authorities deliver electric vehicle charging infrastructure for residents who do not have access to off-street parking.  

Further updates to the charging points, including new signage will be installed in council owned car parks in the coming months. 

Details for the new charging points have been added to the national database found here: https://www.zap-map.com/live/  

It can also be found via the website Connected Kerb, which also contains a database of charging points, including those in the Forest: https://connectedkerb.com/  

Full details for council owned car parks across the district, including the number of electric vehicle charging points can be found at the following link: https://www.fdean.gov.uk/parking-travel-and-visitors/car-parks-and-charges/car-parks/