Hertfordshire County Council has appointed Zest to deploy more than 1,000 public electric vehicle (EV) charge points across three districts as part of a 15-year programme to expand access to charging infrastructure.
The project is supported by £1.8 million from the UK government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund alongside private investment. Installation of the first charge points is expected to begin later this year.
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The council has divided Hertfordshire into several rollout areas, with Zest selected as one of three charge point operators responsible for delivering the network.
Under the agreement, Zest will finance, install, operate and maintain the charging infrastructure over the next 15 years. The partners said the programme will be delivered without direct costs to the council or local residents.
The charging network will primarily serve households without access to off-street parking, with new charge points installed in residential neighbourhoods and communities that currently have limited public charging options.
According to the partners, the infrastructure has been designed to expand over time as electric vehicle adoption increases.
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Mark Doran, Executive Director of Growth and Environment at Hertfordshire County Council, said improving access to on-street charging is essential to encouraging greater EV adoption.
“Expanding access to on-street EV charging is a key step in supporting residents to make the switch to electric vehicles. We know that lack of access to home charging can be a barrier for many people, particularly those without driveways.”
“This programme will help address that by providing reliable, convenient charging options closer to where people live.”
Robin Heap, Chief Executive Officer of Zest, said the partnership demonstrates how public and private investment can work together to accelerate the rollout of charging infrastructure.
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He noted that Zest already works with more than 30 public sector organisations across the UK and said the company looks forward to supporting Hertfordshire’s long-term electrification plans.
“We look forward to supporting Hertfordshire in expanding charging infrastructure that will benefit residents for many years to come, ensuring that access to EV charging is not determined by where people live or whether they have a driveway.”