Lib Dem District Council wants more electric vehicles

The Lib Dem Cabinet of Cotswold District Council has approved an ambitious strategy and delivery programme to support residents and businesses in the transition to Electric Vehicles by installing charging points across the Cotswolds.

The Council will take actions to deliver electric vehicle infrastructure in a phased approach to encourage the switch to greener vehicles. This strategy will deliver a phased installation of electric vehicle charging points in the Council's public car parks for the benefit of residents, workers, shoppers and visitors. 

Following the initial installations and upgrades to existing units in market towns, there are plans to roll out charging points across the district by working with other landowners to ensure everyone in the Cotswolds can benefit from this charging network. The Council will be procuring an installer in January 2021 and expect installations to start later in the year.

The Council will also be working with its tenants to support the installation of charging points for those tenants that lease council-owned buildings. Work is also underway to introduce electric and hybrid vehicles to the Council’s fleet.

On its journey to net zero, the Council will seek to maximise the use of green technology in any developments or conversions it undertakes to reduce the carbon impact of buildings, aiming for net carbon zero wherever feasible. This includes the provision of electric vehicle charging for future owners or occupiers of all council-owned buildings, and all future private developments, wherever planning laws permit.

Lib Dem Cllr Rachel Coxcoon, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, said “We know that many of our residents are keen to reduce their impact on the environment but face challenges in switching to electric vehicles due to the current lack of charging provision across the district. 

“With this new strategy and approach to the delivery of charging infrastructure, we intend to lead, rather than follow, the switch to electric vehicles. This is the first step in the development of a comprehensive Sustainable Transport Strategy for the district. Although we are not the highways authority, we want to do everything in our power to give residents the choice and opportunity to opt for safe and appealing modes of active and public transport whenever they need it.

“Adopting greener modes of transport will make our towns and villages more attractive and pleasant places to spend time, by reducing the need for everyone to drive everywhere, which leads to parked cars dominating our beautiful streets. We are in the process of recruiting for a new officer to lead this wider Sustainable Transport Strategy work, and welcome applications from residents of the district who have the right skills to take on this challenge.”