Electric vehicle (EV) charging firm Zest has partnered with Warrington Borough Council to increase local residents’ access to EV chargepoints.
The new partnership will see Zest install 150 chargepoints in 35 streets across Warrington, with locations selected to serve homes less likely to have driveways suitable for installing home EV chargers.
Installed chargepoints will consist of a mix of medium and slow-charge units, and installation will begin in September.
Funding for this infrastructure comes partly from a £286,580 grant from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme, with Zest also putting up a £1.2 million investment. With Zest agreeing to run the units for 15 years once operational, there will be no cost to the local authority.
Warrington Borough Council leader and cabinet member for transport, Cllr Hans Mundry, said: “We’re committed to building sustainable transport into daily life in Warrington. A big part of that is supporting more residents to make the switch away from traditional petrol or diesel-powered cars.
“I’m delighted we are partnering with Zest to deliver this significant expansion of on-street EV charging infrastructure across the town. Our investment in 150 new charging points will bring huge benefits to local residents, making it easier and more convenient for electric vehicles owners and those who wish to make the transition.”
Robin Heap, CEO and founder of Zest, said: “We work with a leading group of local authorities pursuing an ambitious EV strategy, powered by a combination of funding from Zest and central government LEVI grants.
“Our role is to work with organisations like Warrington that want to build bigger and move faster in EV charging, investing in high quality facilities and providing a convenient long-term service.”
Collaboration deepens
This partnership is not the first between Zest and Warrington Borough Council, with the two announcing their first collaboration earlier this year. In May, the council selected Zest to install and operate 56 chargepoints at the Time Square shopping centre, located in the middle of Warrington.
Earlier that same month, Zest had announced a partnership with the University of Warwick to provide 173 charging spaces in car parks across the university campus.
Furthermore, Warrington is not the only local authority that Zest has formed a relationship with, having previously made agreements with Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove Borough Council in North-East Worcestershire.
