Plans for 18 electric vehicle charging points across South Cumbria have been revealed.
The points will be in a number of council-operated car parks across the town and other locations as part of Barrow Borough Council’s commitment to achieving carbon neutral status by 2037.
Work to install the infrastructure is expected to be complete by April 2022.
The locations will be:
- Lime Street Car Park, Dalton
- Nelson Street Car Park, Dalton
- Park Leisure Centre
- Dock Museum
- Cemetery
- West Shore Car Park
- Hall Street Car Park
- Emlyn Street Car Park
- Whittaker Street Car Park
- Market Street Car Park
To allow this to happen, a new Traffic Regulation Order has been agreed by members of Barrow Borough Council’s executive committee.
The order – which would take effect from April 1, 2022 – sets out how designated car parking spaces with electric charging points can be used in the future, with each space available only to vehicles that are actively charging. The cost of the charge will be covered by the individual motorist.
Ann Thomson, the leader of Barrow Borough Council, added: “This order is part of the legal framework necessary for us to formally separate out individual spaces so that they can be used for the new rapid charging infrastructure.
“This is part of our commitment as a council to ensuring the borough is carbon neutral by 2037 – an ambition we are working hard to achieve.
“We know we need more charging points in Barrow to make the switch to electric vehicles easier for motorists and also to make it possible for those who already use electric vehicles to visit.
“This takes us ever closer to installing the technology that has the potential to make a difference to our carbon emissions as a borough.”
The installation of electric vehicle charging points form part of the Low Carbon Barrow initiative – a series of projects launched by Barrow Borough Council last year to engage local communities on climate issues and sustainability using funding from the European Regional Development Fund and Cumbria LEP.
The scheme will also allow for the addition of solar panels to a number of council-owned homes in the Roosecote and Yew Tree areas of the borough to increase the number of properties running on clean energy.
And a Citizens’ Jury is set to be held over the coming months where a diverse range of residents will share ideas on lowering carbon usage before making a series of recommendations to the council.
Cllr Thomson added: “We need to take urgent action as a community to tackle climate change. I’m glad to see so many initiatives coming to fruition which will propel us towards our carbon zero deadline of 2037.
