Almost 200 electric vehicle charging points are being installed in council-owned car parks, at council buildings and at nature reserves across the district.

Wyre Forest District Council has awarded a contract to Flowbird Smart City UK and Opcharge UK to install the devices in 22 car parks.

The contract has been awarded following a competitive tendering process. Chargers will be installed at no cost to the Council. Flowbird will also pay the Council a fee which is linked to the number and types of chargers installed.

All the sites have already been surveyed and the installations are scheduled to start in April. The whole project is due to be completed before the end of the year.

The installation of EV charging points is part of the Council’s Climate Action and Carbon Reduction Plan.

Councillor Dan Morehead, Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet member for Economic Regeneration, Planning, and the Green Agenda said:

“We are delighted to be working with Flowbird and to be playing our part in supporting the transition to net zero carbon emissions. This contract means that the network of charging points across the district will grow significantly, providing users of the Council’s car parks with charging options while they work, shop, or visit. It will also help in making people more confident in switching to electric vehicles. We’re achieving this at no cost to the Council, with installation and maintenance the responsibility of Flowbird and Opcharge. The fees that Flowbird will pay make a contribution to growing commercial income, which is a target in our corporate plan.”

The additional charge points will significantly increase the number of publicly-accessible charge points available across the District. Government statistics for January 2024 showed only 33 charge points across Wyre Forest although the number at other locations continues to increase.

Joe Rowley, EV Director from Flowbird said:

“At Flowbird, we support towns and cities in their journey towards sustainable mobility solutions. Through streamlining accessible charging in off-street parking infrastructures, we’re laying the groundwork for the future of electric mobility. We take pride in revolutionising the user experience within communities, making charging effortless to promote wider adoption of electric vehicles.”

Thomas Herbert, Managing Director of Opcharge UK said:

“We are delighted to be involved in this project, and that we are able to contribute our expertise in electric vehicle charging alongside that of Flowbird. We are proud to say that as part of this project all energy distributed will be 100% renewable and of green origin; as we strive to provide sustainable charging options for the constituents of Wyre Forest, and drive towards the council’s net zero objectives.”

The car parks will contain a mix of fast and rapid chargers. All of these charging points will be displayed on specialist electric vehicle charging apps including ZapMap, PlugShare, and Electromaps. Whilst more and more people acquire home EV chargers each year, there is still not widespread provision in private and public off-street car parks in the district. It is hoped the project will give EV users greater peace of mind and encourage EV uptake.