The council unveiled its EV Strategy last year to ensure drivers who adopt electric vehicles have the necessary fast or rapid charging infrastructure in place where it is needed most.
This investment will see an additional 167 lamppost charge points for residents across the borough. 44 fast chargers on estates and a minimum of 10 rapid chargers. This will support CarClubs, Blue badge holders and businesses.
The EV Strategy also sets out how Lambeth Council will be the owner and operator of EV charging points to ensure new charging bays.
It means there will be greater control over where future charge points are installed, while ensuring the council sets pricing tariffs and revenue can be reinvested in maintenance and protecting users from rising energy costs.
Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said: “The council recognises the importance of supporting motorists to make the change from petrol or diesel vehicles to electric ones, but at the same time we want there to be fewer vehicles on our roads. Through a switch to more sustainable modes, we are supporting residents and business in this transition through our transport and Big Shift programme
“By adopting an own and operator model, we can make sure Lambeth Council has control over where charge points are installed and allows us to reinvest the money in vital services rather than paying fees to third-party operators.
“Electric vehicles are only part of the solution to achieve cleaner air, less traffic and reduce road danger. We must carefully weigh the needs of drivers against our overall goal of reducing the number of road journeys taken on our roads in order to becoming a Net Zero council by 2030.”
Lambeth currently has 268 residential lamp columns in public highways and housing estates.
The initial roll-out focused on residential areas where households did not have access to off-street parking to ensure they were within a five-minute walk of an EV charge point.
The EV Strategy emphasises the need for fast and rapid charging infrastructure, which require less time for vehicles to be charged and allow multiple electric vehicles to be charged from the same point.
Increasing the number of chargepoints across the borough will enable people to charge if they do not have access to off street charging. The Strategy sets out a firm policy on cables trailing across the footway, with them not being permitted in any case.
Fast and Ultra Rapid charge points would be installed in non-residential areas to allow more EVs to quickly recharge without causing road congestion or increasing road danger.
Future locations for these charge points would be decided by taking into account current and long-term demand by those making the switch to electric vehicles.
Cllr Chowdhury added: “The deliver of the EV Strategy is crucial to our ambitions for more sustainable transport in Lambeth, while recognising someone people will need to drive vehicles as a necessity.
“This allows us to provide the necessary electric vehicle infrastructure and support the aims and objectives set out in our award-winning Kerbside Strategy to reimagine our streets to be less dominated by motor vehicles of all types.”
