Additional EV charging points installed in Bury St Edmunds

Six more electric vehicle (EV) charging point have been installed in Bury St Edmunds by West Suffolk Council.

The fast EV points are in the Olding Road car park which serves West Suffolk House, and will be shared with staff. This is in addition to the deal  the council has signed to install around 100 new slow, fast and rapid public (EV) points on council owned land this year.

West Suffolk Council is working closely with communities and partners to help the district  become carbon net zero by 2030.

Figures published in January 2023 by the Department for Transport data show that the area is already in the top 20 per cent of councils nationally for public charging points for EVs, both in total number of devices, and for devices per 100,000 population.

Gerald Kelly, cabinet member for Governance and Regulatory, said: “We are helping to make a real step change in availability of EV charging points. More motorists are changing away from fossil fuel, improving air quality and encouraging the move to renewable energy.

“In fact the energy motorists will be supplied, at competitive rates, is from the company that buys the energy we generate at our council-owned solar farm. I welcome collaboration with communities to identify council-owned space that could be  upgraded to provide charging as well as parking. In December we published a position statement on EV charging point infrastructure and to see this being delivered so quickly shows the pace we are working at to be carbon net zero by 2030.”

Olding Road car park has  373 spaces and is walking distance of local services and the town centre. It is available for free public use:

• Monday to Friday 3.30pm to 11pm
• Saturday, Sunday and public holidays 7am to 11pm
• Olding Road car park (westsuffolk.gov.uk)

These charge points deliver 7kW via a standard type 2 connector, which equates to approximately 25 miles of range per hour (depending on vehicle and driving style) and are best to use when parked for longer periods, for example whilst working or shopping. You only pay for the energy you use at 41p/kWh.

To use the charging points:

• sign up to Swarco e.connect Swarco E.Connect (swarcoeconnect.org)
• Get an RFID card or use the Swarco app to start and end charging sessions. (An RFID card is similar to a contactless bank card which you tap on the charger to start and stop your charging session, your account will be debited for your electricity consumption).
• If the car park is busy it’s courteous to move your car once fully charged, the app shows your state of charge.

For all updates and progress towards net zero see: Tackling climate change (westsuffolk.gov.uk)  and further information on EVs can be found here: Electric vehicles (westsuffolk.gov.uk)

For help with charging, accounts or charger issues please contact Swarco directly using their 24/7 hotline: +44 (0)20 8515 8444.