Bedford Borough Council looks to expand EV charging infrastructure to meet the growing demand

Bedford Borough Council currently has electric vehicle (EV) charging points in 28 locations in the Borough, including a dedicated EV car park at Riverside with more in the pipeline and is now looking to expand its EV infrastructure by seeking suggestions from residents for new locations.

As the demand for EVs continues to increase, Bedford Borough Council is committed to meeting the needs of its residents and visitors who own or plan to purchase electric vehicles. While we have also seen an increase in non-council EV charging points, a further expansion of the EV charging infrastructure by Bedford Borough Council will make a significant contribution towards reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality. Bedford Borough Council have had over 12500 separate charges since April 2022 both on street and in our car parks and this is increasing each year.

The current charging points are located across various parts of the Borough, including the town centre, residential areas, and at local amenities such as supermarkets.

Bedford Borough Council is now looking to identify new locations for EV charging points, and invites residents to suggest locations that they believe would benefit from the installation of charging infrastructure. As part of our expansion of the charging network, we are currently considering installing additional charging points around the town in Brickhill, Putnoe, Kingsbrook, Harpur and Kempston wards as well as in the villages of Great Denham, Harrold, Bromham and Sharnbrook.

Dave Hodgson, elected Mayor of Bedford Borough said, "We are committed to improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions in Bedford Borough, and expanding the EV charging infrastructure is an important part of achieving that goal. Our current network of charging points has made a significant contribution to this effort, but we also recognise the need to expand our infrastructure to meet the growing demand for EVs."

He added, "We are now looking to residents to help us identify new locations for charging points. This will help us to ensure that the charging infrastructure is accessible and convenient for EV drivers, and will ultimately contribute towards making Bedford Borough a greener and more sustainable place to live."

Residents who would like to suggest new locations for EV charging points can contact the Council at highway.consultations@bedford.gov.uk. Bedford Borough Council urges all EV drivers in the Borough to take advantage of the current charging infrastructure and encourages more residents to switch to electric vehicles in the future.