Warrington Borough Council is working with Be.EV to kick-start the next phase of its public charging roll-out.

Asif Ghafoor, CEO at Be.EV is pictured with Cllr David Ellis is Chair of Warrington’s Climate Emergency Commission

A new charging hub, located at the Forge Shopping Centre in Stockton Heath, is confirmed and design and installation are underway for a projected go-live this winter.

Since declaring a climate emergency in 2019, Warrington Council has been investing in an extensive network of ‘fast’ chargers but lacks the rapid and ultra-rapid charger coverage needed to meet on-the-go charging needs and increased EV uptake.

The new site will help tackle this, providing access to two rapid chargers and one fast charger across six bays and connecting Warrington to the largest public EV charging network in the region.

Commenting on the partnership, Asif Ghafoor, CEO at Be.EV, said: “Progressive local authorities such as Warrington Council are entering a new phase with their EV charging strategies. They’ve played a vital role in supporting early uptake of EVs in their communities. Now, it’s about scaling local public charging provision to make EVs accessible to all, whether they can charge at home or not.

“Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers are key in this next phase and technology has moved on significantly since the initial council charging networks were first installed. We’re now supporting local authorities in building out charging infrastructure that offers fair and equal access. That means putting chargers where they are needed the most and, crucially, making sure they work!”

The new hub is part of the council’s ongoing work to help drivers switch to electric. Other work includes a pilot project to install 30 fast chargers on six streets near Warrington town centre, which is currently underway, using £95,000 funding from the OZEV On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme.

The council has also received funding through the Government’s £20m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme, which will contribute towards the roll-out of up to 200 on-street EV chargers, across the borough.

Warrington has also launched a new car club in partnership with Co Wheels, giving residents the opportunity to hire an electric car on an hourly or daily basis.

An all-electric bus fleet is due for roll out towards the end of 2023, funded through £21.5m from the DfT’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme. A cutting-edge, new bus depot is currently being built, which will be fitted out with electric vehicle charging infrastructure, ready to house the new fleet.