Southend-on-Sea City Council has selected charging infrastructure provider Zest to deliver over 3,000 public electric vehicle (EV) chargers across the coastal town, marking a significant expansion of the city’s EV network.
Installation is scheduled to begin early next year and will include on-street lamp-post chargers alongside fast and rapid charging stations.
Councillor Daniel Cowan, Leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council, said: “This is a big moment for Southend. By bringing thousands of new EV charging spaces to our streets, we’re making it easier for people to choose cleaner, greener ways to travel. This project is about giving everyone the tools to be part of a sustainable future. We’re proud to work with Zest to deliver real change for our communities.”
Robin Heap, CEO of Zest, added: “Southend is setting a benchmark for how cities can lead the transition to cleaner transport with their ambitious EV infrastructure deployment plans. The partnership is designed to make EV ownership practical for everyone, especially communities without off-street parking.”
Zest has previously installed charging infrastructure at the University of Warwick and Central Co-op stores across the UK, and has partnered with Octopus to integrate its charging points into broader networks.