Durham County Council is working in partnership with Zest to identify an additional 250 electric vehicle (EV) charging locations across the county. The first phase of the charging points is set to be installed from September.
The project is being supported by a grant of more than £4 million from the government’s Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme, while Zest will also invest more than £7 million to provide and operate the charge points, systems and long-term provision of the service.
Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We are delighted to be able to expand our EV infrastructure across the county. It really is important that we can offer residents more charging points as a better, more accessible network will make it easier for people to drive an electric vehicle.”
Robin Heap, CEO and Founder of Zest, said: “The combination of investment from LEVI and Zest enables forward-looking local authorities like Durham to deliver ambitious EV projects for all residents. It should be seen as a blueprint for a more equitable approach to strategic infrastructure.
For us, it’s part of an ongoing strategy to provide convenient charging that synchronises with peoples’ everyday lives – wherever they usually park. We look forward to working alongside the Durham team for years to come.”