09-04-2025
15-year plan to tackle 'inadequate' electric vehicle charging infrastructure
A 15-YEAR strategy to improve the provision of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in the Cumberland Council area was outlined to senior councillors this week.
Members of Cumberland Council's executive committee met at Allerdale House in Workington on Tuesday (April 8) where they considered a report – Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure for general public use 2025-2040.
They were asked to approve permission to procure a contractor for the provision, operation and maintenance of infrastructure across the council area for a period of 15 years with a maximum value of £7million – with £3.465 million grant funded and £3.535million match funded.
Councillor Denise Rollo (Harrington, Labour), the sustainable, resilient and connected places portfolio holder, told members that the current infrastructure was 'inadequate' and moved the recommendations to which the committee agreed.
The report states: 'This will provide a fit for purpose electric vehicle charging infrastructure for general public use that will be maintained in a safe operational condition and to allow emergency and non-emergency repairs to existing infrastructure to be completed in a timely and safe manner.'
According to the report the council area is 'a large, sparsely populated area with a small number of urban centres and only one city, Carlisle'.
It adds: 'The geography of the area presents problems for anyone considering buying an electric car and to make that choice more realistic the council is interested in four market sectors.'
These include:
Dense urban streets where residents have no access to private driveways for parking and recharging;
Rural locations where the volume of demand is likely to be relatively low and therefore unattractive to commercial suppliers;
Popular visitor destinations which may be in remote countryside, but which see parking durations of several hours at a time, allowing good opportunities to recharge;
Larger city and town centre car parks where commercial opportunities may be available.
The report states: 'The initial target is to provide a charge point within five minutes' walk of every home; however, this may not be appropriate in every case.
'Where this is not possible, we will install charging points at public carparks / alternative locations to enable residents to charge their vehicles nearby.
'In isolated situations where the installation of a charging point is not feasible alternative methods will be considered to allow residents to charge their vehicles.'
A range of charge point types and speeds will be permissible, with the Charge Point Operator (CPO) required to install at mandatory sites selected by the council prior to the deployment of infrastructure at additional sites selected in partnership by the CPO and Cumberland Council.
The report states: 'The Invitation to Tender (ITT) will be advertised on the Find a Tender Service and the relevant tender documents will be available from the council's procurement portal (The Chest).'
According to the report the concession contract will incorporate recommendations by Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) where applicable as well as where appropriate being a similar format to other local government EV Charging Infrastructure contracts which ran with Tranche One of the LEVI funding.
It adds: 'The majority of which have been in place for the last three years and have operated successfully. Once the chargers have been installed for an agreed period; all chargers will be charged a fixed bay fee per annum.
'In addition, chargers with a 3 kW to 22 kW charge will pay Cumberland Council 10 percent of revenue generated and if chargers over 22kW are installed 15 percent revenue will be paid to Cumberland Council.
'Current council chargers adopted by the successful contractor will pay revenue at the above percentages from the start of the contract.
'A minimum of 15 percent of Award and Evaluation Criteria will be allocated to social value questions. They must have access to or hold any required licences to procure, install and maintain existing and new EV chargers.'
