Installation of new EV charging points in long stay car parks in our market towns
John Law, Climate Change and Environmental Projects Officer, tells us how Ryedale District Council is embarking on a programme of installation of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points.
What is special about Ryedale market towns?
Ryedale is a rural district with market towns that service large areas of North Yorkshire. These towns and countryside also attract tourists and day visitors who look to stay for several hours at a time
How will your work help residents and visitors to rural market towns?
The EV charging points installation programme includes the long stay car parks of the market towns of Malton, Pickering, Helmsley and Kirkbymoorside. The aim of locating the charging points in the long stay car parks is to make them available to both local residents who don’t have access to home charging units and tourists. Tourists come to visit the historic sites, shops and markets, as well as other attractions the towns have to offer.
It is hoped the location of the new charging points will provide visitors with convenient and practical access to charging for their vehicles and thus help to contribute to expansion of the local economy. It is also hoped the introduction of town centre charging points will encourage residents who are unable to install home charging units to make the switch to an electric vehicle, with fast convenient units situated near to their homes.
What is the positive climate impact of EV charging points in Ryedale?
In 2020 1125 recharges were recorded at the Council owned charging points. This equates to 15,700kg CO2 saved. As the network of charging points increases significantly in 2021 we anticipate these figures will rise rapidly and contribute to the successful roll out of our Climate Change Action Plan.
What work are you doing next?
In total ten dual socket charging points will be installed in 2021 to add to the two rapid charging units already installed in Malton and Norton. The Council is also installing charging points at Council owned properties such as the Council offices, Streetscene depot and North Yorkshire Building Control offices. Further expansion of the programme is being considered for future years as the demand for such charging points is forecast to increase rapidly with the switch to electric vehicles by the Council itself. This will come from the private cars driven by officers and members, plus the Council’s own commercial vehicle fleet.
