Thousands to gain access to new EV charging points

Thousands more people across the North East will have access to new EV charging points following a major rollout that will make the region’s transport even greener.

These will be targeted at key destinations, including town centre car parks, coastal sites, country parks, and leisure centres across Newcastle, North Tyneside, Gateshead, and Sunderland.

The 40 new fast-charging EV spaces will be vital for locals and tourists alike and is a vital step towards the North East having the greenest transport in the country.

It will also tackle the charging inequality faced by many communities in the region with the charging points installed at 18 sites. The initiative forms part of her plan for a more connected, greener North East.

Delivered through a partnership between the North East Combined Authority and Zest, one of the UK’s fastest-growing investor-operators of public access EV charging, the new sites will offer speeds of up to 150kW.

This programme marks the beginning of a wider, rolling initiative to grow the region’s EV network. These first installations are just the start of a longer-term plan to make EV charging more convenient and accessible across the North East.

The expansion is backed by funding from both HM Government’s Levelling Up Fund and the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS), specific to North Tyneside, as well as private investment from Zest.

Zest, a certified B corporation (meaning it meets high standards of environmental and social responsibility) already operates more than 60 EV charging spaces across Newcastle and Sunderland, and last year announced a partnership with Durham County Council to deliver an additional 250 charging locations across the county.

North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, said, “I have an electric car so I know first-hand how important it is to have reliable charging in the right places. I’ve been told time and time again that communities want more charging points and now I’m making that happen.

“We’ve chosen some of our fantastic tourist spots to invest in as we don’t want visitors to our region to be caught short either. The North East will have the greenest transport in the country and this is a vital step towards that.”

The Future of Roads Minister, Lilian Greenwood, said: “Our rapid transition to EVs continues and I am absolutely delighted to hear dozens of new chargepoints will be rolled out across the North East, thanks in part to Government funding. This follows our recent £63 million boost for charging infrastructure, as well as our new electric car grant – offering discounts of up to £3,750 per car – to help more people make the switch to electric.

“Not only will this investment lead to greener and smoother journeys across the North East, but it will also help create jobs and grow the economy, a key part of this Government’s Plan for Change.”

Robin Heap, CEO at Zest, said, “We are pleased to partner with the North East Combined Authority on the deployment of EV chargers across Sunderland, Newcastle, North Tyneside, and Gateshead.

“Reliable and convenient charging is essential for people to make the switch to electric, and requires extensive infrastructure strategically located to support everyday journeys.”