It’s good news for electric vehicle drivers in and around Warrington, as the council has announced free electric charging at its Time Square multi-storey car park and Warrington West station.
The initiative, which has been confirmed for at least the next six months and will be kept under review, will help to support those who are making the switch from petrol and diesel to electric.
There are currently 56 charging points (7 kWh) at the Time Square car park – one of the highest number of charging points in a single location in the country – with another 12 charging points (7 kWh) available at the new Warrington West station.
The move to offering free electric vehicle charging comes after the council’s climate emergency declaration in June 2019.
The plans to encourage electric vehicle travel also support the council’s Air Quality Action Plan, which aims to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels within the main, busy traffic routes leading into and around the town.
Cllr Judith Guthrie, Cabinet member for environment, who drives an electric car herself, said: “It’s great news that I’m able to announce free charging points for electric vehicle users here in Warrington. We’re committed to doing all we can to help people become more environmentally-friendly in and around the borough.
“What’s more, our solar farm investment in Hull, which will very soon be providing all of our electricity needs, will be powering the Time Square car park and Warrington West electric charging points. This is a really unique scheme – for a council to be providing its residents with electric charging points, which are powered by electricity generated from its own solar farm, is a pioneering initiative. It also means owning an electric vehicle will be even cheaper – alongside the clear environmental benefits of going electric.
“Our climate emergency declaration in June 2019 committed us to becoming carbon neutral in our own operations by 2030. Anything we can do to help our residents and visitors to also become greener and cleaner, and adopt more sustainable lifestyles, is equally important.
“This is a unique, special scheme and I hope it provides a welcome boost to those considering going electric or who have already made the jump!”
You can find out more about the council’s mission to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, and the pioneering steps it has taken so far, by visiting warrington.gov.uk/climate-emergency
Signing up to the scheme
Drivers of electric vehicles have two options to access the scheme:
• Drivers can sign up via the BP Chargemaster Polar Instant. Customers will need to pre-load a minimum £10 to activate their card which will then be sent within two working days in the post. This will allow free charging at Time Square/ Warrington West and pay-as-you-go tariff at any other BP Chargemaster location throughout the country.
• Drivers can also sign up for the BP Chargemaster Polar Plus subscription for £7.85/month, where customers will receive a free EV charge card which will allow them free charging at Time Square/ Warrington West and a discounted tariff at any other BP Chargemaster location. This scheme offers the first three months for free.View all news
