Rapid electric vehicle chargers to be introduced in Alnwick, Amble, Berwick, Morpeth, Ashington, Hexham and Otterburn

Northumberland County Council has been awarded £453,000 from the Government’s Levelling Up fund for the provision of ten new rapid EV chargers.

They will be installed at Ashwood Business Park in Ashington, Chapel Street Car Park in Berwick, Greenwell Road in Alnwick, Newmarket Car Park in Morpeth, Otterburn village, Queen Street Car Park in Amble and Wentworth Car Park in Hexham.

Rapid charge points are the fastest way to charge an electric and these will be added to the council’s existing network of 243 EV chargers by March 2025.

Council leader Glen Sanderson said: “I’m pleased with the council’s decision to welcome this additional funding which will help develop the EV infrastructure in the county.

“Since the UK has announced that it will be banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, we must ensure our county has the necessary provision in place to support this.”

The expansion of EV chargers is a key component of the council’s Climate Change Action Plan to help reduce transport related carbon emissions and contribute to Northumberland’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

Berwick North county councillor Catherine Seymour said: “As we continue on with the green agenda for our climate emergency plan in Northumberland, I am happy to see Chapel Street in Berwick is also set for rapid electric vehicle chargers, as well as many other towns throughout Northumberland including installing solar panels covering our car park at County Hall that is good to see.”

Monitoring of the project will be carried out by Transport North East.