Northumberland County Council has approved plans to install 36 additional electric vehicle charging points across 26 locations, expanding the region’s existing public charging network.
Around 78% of the new charging points will be installed on council-owned land, while the remaining installations will use third-party properties through licensing agreements.
Northumberland to Add Ultra-Rapid EV Charging Hubs to Support Sustainable Travel
The expansion will be supported by just over £1 million in external funding from the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. The programme is scheduled to run through 2029, with revenue generated by the chargers expected to cover operating, management and maintenance costs.
Council to Manage Installation and Maintenance
Northumberland County Council’s in-house EV team will oversee the installation and ongoing maintenance of the new charging infrastructure.
Cllr Richard Wearmouth, the council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said the investment would help improve charging access across the county.
“It’s great to see more investment towards improving EV charging provision in Northumberland. We have one of the largest road networks in the country, and it is vital that we ensure we have the necessary facilities to help people get around.”
The expansion is intended to support electric vehicle adoption across Northumberland, which has an extensive road network serving both urban communities and rural areas.
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Electric Buses Also Expand Regional Transport
The charging investment follows the introduction of 14 BYD BD11 battery-electric double-decker buses in the region in recent months.
Together, the charging infrastructure expansion and electric bus deployment form part of Northumberland’s broader efforts to develop more sustainable transport options.