Plug In Suffolk

ZapMap provides a map of the UK with chargepoint locations, as well information on the type of charger, its provider and its current availability.

Plug In Suffolk also provides open access community chargepoints in rural and urban locations. The chargepoints are installed in community hub locations and provide a share of the revenue generated back to the community organisation. 

100 chargepoints have been installed to date and many more will be installed from 2024, including chargepoints on streets, thanks to funding from the government Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund. 

The government Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) provides eligible applicants with support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints.

There is potential scope for workplaces to explore and use their car parks outside of office hours to support residential and community charging needs where appropriate, although important to note that not all workplaces will have access to private car parks.

Suffolk County Council, working collaboratively with the Districts and Borough, is gathering feedback and views from the taxi and private hire trade regarding the transition to EVs in Suffolk. The data collected will help to determine the best approach for Suffolk Councils to support the taxi and private hire trade in making the transition from internal combustion engine vehicles to EVs. More information on this will be shared in coming months.

The Government’s Plug-in Taxi Grant scheme offers a discount on the price of eligible taxis of up to a maximum of £6,000 – depending on the vehicle’s range, emissions and design.

Suffolk is looking to reduce transport demand and encourage a shift to less carbon intensive modes, such as walking, cycling, wheeling and public transport, as outlined in the Suffolk Local Transport Plan and also supported nationally in the Transport Decarbonisation Plan. However, due to the rural nature of Suffolk, it is very likely that some people will always need access to a vehicle. For those remaining vehicles required on the roads, the focus will be on promoting electric vehicles until other zero emission fuels are available.

For information on active travel in Suffolk, visit The Way To Go Suffolk. 

The government’s Office for Zero Emissions (OZEV) recently announced special funding for state-funded educational institutions to apply for EV chargepoints at their sites. For more information, please visit OZEV’s web page.

Suffolk County Council does not currently permit any type of cross-pavement solution for EV charging; however, we recognise the need for this and are working to find a suitable solution from the range of options emerging on the market, and hope that a licensable option for Suffolk’s residents will be agreed and available soon.

In the meantime, Suffolk County Council has been allocated funding under the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, and we are now developing plans to significantly increase the rollout of public charge points across Suffolk. A key element of this project will include creating public on-street charge points for residents who rely on on-street parking.

If you would like to nominate a street for consideration, please complete the short survey.

Not every street that is suggested will be suitable to receive a chargepoint. This could be for various reasons, including:

• availability of a suitable power supply
• highway constraints
• insufficient physical space e.g. pavement width
• planning constraints

There is also a limited amount of funding available. We will investigate every suggestion made, but we cannot guarantee that every site suggested will receive a chargepoint.

Residents without a driveway or garage face challenges when it comes to charging an EV - in some cases it is just not possible, and it is unsafe and hazardous to run cables across pavements. Along with inconvenient access to public charging, these are common reasons that people give for not choosing an EV.

However, the funding will start to provide solutions to these issues, with opportunities to develop:

• kerbside charging points
• community charging hubs
• car park charging points
• fast and rapid charging point infrastructure improvements

Our aim is for all the chargepoints installed at 7kW and above to have a contactless feature, which will enable you to pay for your charge with a bank card, as you do for purchasing items in a shop.

We are working with the Districts, Borough and communities to find suitable locations for chargepoints, and we also need your help. We would like you to nominate the street(s) where having a chargepoint installed could help you and your neighbours in the future. If you would like to nominate a street for consideration, please complete the short survey.