Electric vehicle charging points are being installed at council-owned car parks across Ceredigion.

Ceredigion County Council has partnered with Silverstone Green Energy Limited as its Charge-point Operator and have begun to install EV charge-points in public Pay and Display off-street car parks in the county.

A significant growth in demand for public and private Electric Vehicle (EV) charge-points is forecast during the next 10 years as the sales of EVs increase.

The council is however keen for other public, private and community-based organisations to play a part in meeting this growth in demand as the poor availability of charge-points is known to be a significant barrier to the take-up of EVs.

EV charge-points have been placed in central car parks to allow users to visit local businesses and attractions whilst charging their cars as well as for people with no private off-street overnight charging capability.

The new charge-points form part of the Dragon Charging Network with further locations to follow when funding becomes available. More information can be found on the council’s website: www.ceredigion.gov.uk/resident/travel-roads-parking/electric-vehicle-charging-in-ceredigion/ and Dragon Charging Network website at www.dragoncharging.co.uk/. You can find your nearest EV charge-point on Zap Map: www.zap-map.com/ or use their app.

Most of the charge-points installed by the council are ‘Fast’ charge-points that use a Type 2 charging cable and take 3 to 4 hours to charge depending on the type and number of vehicles plugged in.

‘Rapid’ charge-points are also being installed in some car parks including the public car parks at Cwmins, Lampeter and Greenfield Square, Cardigan. Information on how to use these charge-points is available on the Dragon Charging Network website, via the Dragon Charging App and at the charge-points themselves.

Cllr Keith Henson, Cabinet Member for Highways and Environmental Services and Carbon Management has welcomed the roll-out, saying: “This is a good step forward in helping reduce our carbon emissions, and ensuring our county continues to develop to support our businesses, residents and appeal to visitors. In support of the Council’s corporate Net Zero Carbon targets associated with transport and travel. I’m delighted that we have been successful in applying for further Welsh Government and UK Government funding to enable us to set up additional locations across the county.”

This development follows the adoption of the county council’s Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) Strategy and Action Plan by the Council’s Cabinet in September 2022.

The council’s ULEV Steering Group continues to manage delivery of the EV charging project which supports implementation of the Council’s Corporate Plan 2022-2027 – particularly the ‘Creating Sustainable, Green and Well-connected Communities’ objective – as well as local delivery of the Welsh Government’s ‘Llwybr Newydd’ – The Wales Transport Strategy (2021).