Discussions underway on how to increase on-street electric vehicle charging points

Discussions are underway over increasing the number of electric car charging points across Wrexham.

It comes after calls this summer from members of the council’s homes and environment scrutiny committee for the infrastructure to be installed nearer to people’s homes.

Electric car charging points have been installed in locations around the city centre, including at the Guildhall, Ty Pawb and Waterworld.

EV charging points are also available county wide at several supermarkets and other privately owned sites.

But with the sale of petrol and diesel cars ending by 2030, questions were asked in July over how prepared Wrexham Council is to meet the eventual demand from electric vehicle owners.

Speaking at a meeting Cllr John Phillips, who represents the Penycae area, said: ““Unfortunately, many of our major housing estates will not be able to take advantage of on plot parking to charge their vehicles and designated EV recharging points will be desperately, desperately needed.

“Many areas in the borough have estates like mine, where it’s not possible to have on plot parking where they live.

“I know it’s early days, but 2030 is not too far away and it just needs that infrastructure in place for the demand that we know is going to come pretty quick.”

A report due before the homes and environment committee on Wednesday (14 December) outlines the discussions have taken place in the last five months.

It states that whilst Wrexham Council is identifying a priority list of on-street EV charging locations for the ‘On-street residential charge point scheme’ (ORCS) funding for 22/23, it has been “unable to confirm Welsh Government allocation of the necessary match-funding element of any potential bid as the UK Government feeling is that private developer will provide the match funding going forwards.”

The report continues onto say: “Internal discussions are taking place to identify a way forward to enable increases in on street EV provision in the immediate term and officers continue to identify and develop a strategy for the medium to longer term.

“However, officers are progressing with meetings with potential external partners offering a range of zero-cost models for installation in the city. Once officers have been able to meet with all potential providers and understand details of the offers, a comparison table will be compiled for presentation to Senior Officers and Members for consideration.

“Meetings have taken place with initial stakeholders to discuss locations for mobility hubs across the city, specifically to identify a suitable location for the development of the first of these.

“A mobility-hub offers a range of co-located transport options (including public transport, active travel, public realm works, nature supporting planting, and shared travel options).”

The report also provides an update of the progress the council has made in its Decarbonisation Action Plan.

The document focuses on four key themes -Buildings, Transport and Mobility, Land Use and Procurement – as well as some higher level actions which are integral to WCBC’s response to addressing the climate emergency.

It was created in response to the climate emergency declared by both the Welsh Government and Wrexham Council 2019.

The plan highlights how the local authority will aim to be carbon neutral by 2030.

It includes working with community and third sector organisations in developing and delivering activities and interventions to reduce carbon and tackle climate change.

So far grants have been secured to install solar panels on leisure centres, for nature supporting projects and educational programmes with Xplore! and Groundwork North Wales.

Applications have also been submitted for a countywide pilot programme of actions to reduce carbon and waste going to landfill and the “development of a local area energy plan using a whole systems approach to considering our current and future energy needs across the borough.”

Going forward the plan also includes details of a behaviour change and marketing campaign, additional wildflower and tree planting – along with a Review of Corporate Land and Buildings Strategy over the next one to two years.

The report adds: “Within the plan we committed to developing and have developed more detailed actions under each of the themes.

“In recognition of the necessarily iterative and co-developmental nature of these actions we are continually working with both internal and external stakeholders to identify new, and amend existing actions in order to enable us to advance our journey to net-zero.”

The report will be discussed by members of the council’s homes and environment committee on Wednesday 14 December at 10am. The meeting will also be webcast on the Wrexham Council website.