Electric car parking charges in West Berkshire set to be approved by West Berkshire Council

Costs for electric car charging in West Berkshire are set to be approved this week.

The district council will be asked to recommend the public rapid chargers hold be 39 pence per unit with an overstay fee of £10 an hour after two hours.

Fast chargers are set to be 30 pence per unit.

West Berkshire Council says its chargepoints will be competitive with the existing local network of privately owned public chargepoints and, subject to annual price and usage reviews, is anticipated to return a modest income from year two that can be used for ongoing operational and maintenance costs.

The Electric Vehicles Chargepoint Programme is seeking to increase the number of chargepoints in West Berkshire over a number of phases in order to stimulate and aid the switch to low emission vehicles, reduce vehicle emissions, and help improve air quality.

Phase 1 of the programme has resulted in the completed installation of ‘fast’ (22kW AC) chargers in the following council public car parks:

• Pangbourne (Station Road)
• Thatcham (Gilbert Court)
• Newbury Library (The Wharf)
• Northcroft Leisure Centre
• Lambourn (High Street)

This phase also includes the installation of one 50kW DC ‘rapid’ charger in the Newbury Central Car Park and ‘fast’ chargers in Hungerford Car Park. But these particular points have experienced a number of issues that have resulted in delays and they are currently estimated for completion before the end of 2021/22.

The completed sites are currently ‘deactivated’ while waiting for the charging strategy ‘fees and charges’ to be approved at a full council meeting on Thursday (December 2) this week.