Croydon is to install a further 60 EV charge points by the end of 2021, helping to address the national “charge point crisis” in the UK.

The charging points will be spread across 32 different sites spanning the footprint of the borough

The charge points, many of which are already available, will be spread across 32 different sites spanning the footprint of the London borough – from Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood in the north to Kenley in the south – and with 20 more expected before February 2022.

It’s part of a wider initiative from the council to deliver a greater number of public, on-street EV charging locations, reflecting the increasing number of EV drivers in the borough.

Councillor Mohammad Ali, cabinet lead 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.”

The charging infrastructure is being deployed by Liberty Charge – a joint venture created by Liberty Global and Zouk Capital to support the roll-out of on-street electric vehicle charging points in the UK – and supports its drive to install 600 EV charging sockets across London by the end of 2021.

Neil Isaacson, CEO, 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.”

Currently, there are approximately 5,700 on-street charge points across the UK, the majority of which are in London, with 1,000 outside the capital.

Based on the current roll-out rate, the Government’s target to install 120,000 electric vehicle charging points by 2025 is unlikely to be met.

Isaacson continued: “Despite local authorities’ desire to electrify residential streets and the Government’s ambition to address this issue, we still have 11 million UK households with no driveway that lack convenient, hassle-free electric charging that is close to home. Put simply, the on-street sector in the UK is facing a charge point crisis.”