The council made a successful joint bid with Southwark Council for £2.7million in Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding from the Department for Transport to support EV charging infrastructure.
Lambeth Council has taken a £1.36m share of that funding and will use it to add up to 404 new charge points across the borough and help electrify its own fleet of cars.
The funding comes just weeks after Lambeth Council announced a new own and operate model for its network of charge points.
This means the council will manage its own network rather than paying a third party, so revenue raised from charge points can be reinvested.
Existing EV users who previously used Ubitricity charge points have now moved to the smartphone-based app ClenergyEV.
The move to bring EV charging in-house will also give the council greater control over the type and location of each charge point it installs.
Lambeth currently has more than 600 EV charging points across the borough with a further 100 fast or rapid points and 130 lamppost charging points planned to be installed this year.
Lambeth Council is committed to supporting residents and businesses to use more sustainable forms of travel in a bid to reduce overall vehicle journeys by 27 percent. This has involved transforming local streets to support people to cycle, walk, scoot or wheel through their neighbourhoods.
However, the council also recognises that some people require a motor vehicle, and the Electric Vehicle Strategy 2023-2030 sets out ways the council will support EV drivers by investing in infrastructure such as rapid and fast charging points and EV charging hubs.
Cllr Rezina Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Lambeth and Clean Air, said: “This is a significant investment in EV infrastructure that means we will be able to continue our roll out of rapid and fast charging points over the coming year.
“The council is committed to transforming our local streets, so they prioritise people, and while we are supporting people to take more active forms of travel, we have to consider the needs of those who need to drive a motor vehicle.
“We do not believe electric vehicles are the solution to making travel more sustainable, but we recognise they form a part of that solution. If we are going to be success in reducing road danger, improving air quality and encouraging more sustainable travel, we need solutions that work for everyone.”
Cllr Rezina Chowdhury explains more in this short video.
