Electric car chargers for businesses, councils and car park owners
Councils and their local communities can benefit hugely from an uncapped On-Street Residential Charging Scheme (ORCS) grant.
Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) are assisting councils with a 60% contribution towards the cost of implementing an on-street residential charging solution in areas that have limited off road parking.
This is an application based scheme for councils which has no financial cap and if you would like to understand how your council can benefit, please contact ECC UK today.
OZEV have made it really easy for councils to increase the number of charging points for their communities. With an uncapped 60% contribution towards the cost of implementation, this is a very affordable and scaleable solution that truly helps residents switch to electric vehicles where they are unable to benefit from their own off road parking.
What does ‘on street charging’ really mean?
OZEV have developed this scheme to increase the number of residential charging points that are located street-side. As part of the application process, councils need to determine the desired locations for your charging points. In 2021, OZEV extended the scheme to allow for car parks that are primarily used by residents who do not have access to off road parking.
The charging locations under this scheme need to be primarily used by residents, namely;
Residential streets
Residential car parks
How do councils understand the costs involved before applying for a grant.
There are a few aspects to consider before installing an on-street charging solution. We recommend you follow the below steps:
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Step 1: Engage with all of the key parties
If you are a Parish or Borough Council, you will need to liaise with your County Council and advise them of your intended plans. As most public highways are owned and managed by the overall County Council, a successful application can only be completed with their permission.
You will also need to liaise with your local DNO (Distribution Network Operator) as they will be responsible for supplying the electricity used for charging. The DNO will also need to be involved with understanding your planned solution.
And finally, depending on which type of solution you choose, you may wish to involve the contractor responsible for maintaining the councils street lighting. See step 2 to understand more.
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Step 2: Establish the right solution
There are a few different types of solutions on the market for residential charging. It is important to use (a) a robust solution to minimise any risk of impact damage or vandalism, (b) because these units are used by the public, it must have an established and reliable payment system, and (c) they need to be cost effective to install so you can make the most out of the budget you have managed to secure.
We have been working with Char.gy who are an award winning on-street charging provider and is considered the best product on the market in the UK.
This solution uses power from street lighting to; supply the charging points which can be mounted to a lighting column that is situated to charge a vehicle safely, or the street lighting feed can supply power to a charging bollard that can be positioned to safely charge a vehicle.
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Step 3: Conduct a survey and understand costs
Once you have the sought the correct Council, DNO and contractor approvals, and also found the right type of solution for your councils, you then need to conduct an area survey to establish where charging would be beneficial for residents with limited opportunities for their own off road parking.
This should then be followed with a costing for the supply and install of your desired solution, along with how the solution will be managed and maintained.
This will result in a total budget and a total number of charging units – with all of the key influencing parties involved and in agreement.
If you would a free consultation with a public sector charging expert, don’t hesitate to call us on 020 8895 6511 or complete our online contact form:
