First wave of vehicle chargers installed across borough
Tonbridge and Malling’s drive to create a cleaner, greener borough is being boosted by the installation of more than 30 electric vehicle charging points.
The chargers have been installed at six council-owned car parks in Tonbridge, Aylesford and Kings Hill in the first phase of a deal between the borough and Connected Kerb, one of the UK’s leading providers of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
More chargers will be delivered in a second phase later this year as part of a countywide scheme led by Kent County Council.
The first 12 chargers at Sovereign Way North car park in Tonbridge went live on Friday 27 May, significantly boosting the number of charging points available to shoppers and other visitors to the town. The central location in a long stay car park will also offer residents in nearby flats and other properties without driveways a means to charge electric cars overnight.
Chargers at the other five locations are expected to go live during June. All the electricity supplied is generated from renewable energy and will cost between 39p and 49p per kilowatt hour (kWh).
The phase 1 car parks (number of chargers):
- Sovereign Way North Car Park, Tonbridge (12)
- Upper Castle Field Car Park, Tonbridge (4)
- Bradford Street Car Park, Tonbridge (4)
- River Lawn Car Park, Tonbridge (4)
- Bailey Bridge East Car Park, Aylesford (4)
- TMBC Gibson Building, Kings Hill (3)
The council’s climate change strategy sees boosting the number of charging points available to drivers as a key measure to reduce pollution and support the switch to electric vehicles ahead of the ban on sales of petrol and diesel engines from 2030.
Other environmental initiatives underway include tree planting schemes, discounts on solar panel installation and measures to further improve the borough’s recycling rates which according to recent government figures are already the best in Kent.
Cllr Robin Betts, Tonbridge and Malling lead cabinet member on environment and climate change, said: ‘As the driver of an electric car myself, I’m acutely aware of the need for more charging points to help encourage people to make the switch. It’s great to see the council playing a leading role in this area, not only in making charging facilities more widely available but also in ensuring that the electricity is generated from green sources.’
Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, said: ‘We are delighted to have been chosen to install these charging points in Tonbridge, helping residents without driveways access EV infrastructure more easily and affordably. Eliminating charging black spots across Kent is vital to encouraging EV uptake and helping the UK to meet net zero targets.’