How the North’s electric car plug points will work

Mar 1 2010 by Amy Hunt, The Journal

MONEY from both the Government and development agency One North East will be used to install 1,300 charging points for electric cars around the region over the next three years. But how will the network of sockets, on streets, in car parks, at homes, businesses, shopping centres and tourist attractions work? Amy Hunt finds out.

MILLIONS of pounds of cash have been pledged to install hundreds of electric car plug points in the North East over the next three years.

In total 1,300 charging points will be put up in locations from Teesside to the Scottish Borders.

Of the points, 50 will be at on-street parking points, 250 will be in public car parks, 90 in retail car parks, 240 at workplaces, 50 at leisure centres and 30 at transport hubs.

And 240 will be available for families to have at home, to test the practicalities of charging and running an electric car.

They will be targeted at locations which travel planners know will be convenient for families and commuters.

To do this, Dr Colin Herron, One North East’s man in charge of the roll-out, has plotted a rectangular-shaped area covering the main urban areas of Tyneside, Wearside and Teesside, in which 85% of the North East population lives and then looked at all the attractions and places which people from this area visit.

These include National Trust properties such as Wallington, Hadrian’s Wall and shopping centres like Metrocentre.

As part of a test pilot, 40 will be installed in Newcastle and Gateshead over the next few weeks.

Newcastle City Council is putting them out on streets including Grey Street, Collingwood Street, Clayton Street and Groat Market and in car parks on Dean Street, the Quayside, Eldon Garden and the Civic Centre.

To use the posts electric car drivers need to get a fob from the council which they use to unlock the charging point.

At least initially there will be no charge for electricity from the posts and no charge for parking in the space next to the charging point, but in the longer-term drivers may be sent a bill for the electricity they have used at the end of the month, similar to any utility bill.

The locations of the chargers will be uploaded onto satellite navigation devices to help motorists find a point where they can charge up.