Kent County Council Secures Over £12m Grant for EV Charging Expansion

Kent County Council (KCC) has received a grant exceeding £12 million from the Department for Transport. This funding is designated to support an increase in the number of electric vehicle (EV) charging points across the county. The council indicated it would utilize the funding to continue the deployment of local charging infrastructure, aiming to provide thousands of on-street EV charging bays over the next 10 years. Rob Thomas, KCC cabinet member for the environment, said: “By making EV charging points more accessible and efficient, more people will choose to drive electric and will contribute positively to our air quality and environment.” Residents are being invited to share their views on where they believe charge points should be situated. Neil Baker, KCC cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “As we continue to see the number of EVs registered in the county increase, so does the need for accessible and reliable public charging infrastructure, particularly for our residents who do not have the option to charge at home.” The implementation of the program is scheduled to commence in 2025. Over the coming months, KCC will appoint an operator partner responsible for installing and operating the network of charge points.