London’s Westminster City Council – the most central of London’s 32 councils – and Siemens GB&I have announced that they have installed more than 1,000 on-street electric vehicle charging points, making Westminster the first local authority in the UK to reach this milestone.
The charging points range from 3kW to 50kW and have been installed at key residential and commercial locations across the city. The charging points are available to all users, making it easier for residents to switch to environmentally friendly transport solutions. Users are able to park their vehicles in dedicated EV bays and can charge for up to four hours between 8.30am and 6.30pm every day.
Research from Siemens found that 40% of motorists said a lack of access to charging points had prevented them from switching to an electric vehicle sooner. To address this, Westminster City Council has enabled residents to request for an EV charging point to be installed near their home using an online form. The Council will use this information to guide the installation of new chargers to ensure the programme is targeted at the areas with the greatest demand.
The City of Westminster suffers with some of the worst air quality in the UK and the City Council declared a climate emergency in 2019. The Council’s City for All vision outlines plans for Westminster to become a carbon neutral council by 2030 and a carbon neutral city by 2040.
Councillor Melvyn Caplan, deputy leader and cabinet member for city management says: “I am immensely proud that Westminster is the first local authority to reach this important milestone and we’re not standing still – the council is already on track to deliver another 500 EV chargers by April 2022. Poor air quality is a major concern among our residents and the council is embracing new technology to improve air quality and meet our net zero goals. By working with Siemens, Westminster is leading the way on electric vehicle infrastructure and making it easier for residents to switch to cleaner and greener transport.”
Bernard Magee, director electric vehicle charging, Siemens GB&I says: “Siemens is proud to support our partner Westminster City Council in achieving this fantastic milestone. The great work at Westminster provides a charging infrastructure blueprint to other local authorities on their own journeys to decarbonise transport and improve air quality across our towns and cities. We’re now looking forward to the next phase of activity in the borough, ensuring charging infrastructure continues to grow and benefit even more residents and visitors across Westminster.”
