Trafford Labour is leading the charge with new EV charging points available in Gorse Hill for residents, visitors and council employees.

Gorse Hill and Cornbrook Labour councillors have welcomed the installation of further rapid Electric Vehicle (EV) charges located at Trafford Town Hall.

The cutting-edge chargers are just some of the two-dozen set to go live throughout the borough in the coming weeks.

The eco-friendly scheme is being spearheaded by the council in partnership with Be.EV.

Most of the chargers will be rapid or ultra-rapid, which can charge a typical EV to 80% in 20 minutes to an hour.

Four of the charging hubs across Trafford are already switched on and ready for use including Balmoral Road, James Street, Regent Road and at the town .

Trafford Council began working with Be.EV in 2022 to devise an EV charging strategy that would support the needs of the entire community. Since then, 41 chargers have been installed across the region serving 81 parking bays, with a further 46 chargers in the planning stage.

Who can use the EV chargers?

With its own fleet of 17 electric vehicles, which are used in services such as highways maintenance, estate management and ground maintenance, the council wants to encourage more of the public to join the EV movement.

Members of the public can access more information about these new Be.EV charging points here:  https://be-ev.co.uk/locations/ or all charging points on ZapMap here:  https://www.zap-map.com/live/.

Be.EV’s public charging network is the largest across the North West with a rapidly expanding national footprint. The network boasts an impressive operational availability rate of 99.6pc

How will these EV chargers benefit residents?

The council will retain ownership of the sites, and the chargers will be installed and maintained by Be.EV with residents benefiting not only from charging but also rental income from the sites.

Ward councillors Dave Acton, Fianna Hornby and Laurance Walsh welcomed the additional chargers while congratulating the council’s commitment to climate change.

They added: “Trafford Labour will not shirk its responsibilities when it comes to improving air quality and deliver on plans to be carbon neutral by 2038.

“The more EV charges we provide the more it will encourage residents to opt for a greener alternative by switching to electric if they can.”

Residents who can’t yet purchase an electric vehicle will still benefit from these, as Trafford Council will receive a rental income from the sites.

This latest rollout will help people feel connected and reassured that they are not far from a charger particularly if they couldn’t charge at home.

This is a fantastic scheme and is further evidence that Labour is committed to reducing poor air quality while helping to keep residents healthy.”