Harborough and Leicestershire’s EV charging infrastructure boosted by £1.15million government funding

The council will receive £1.15million of government funding to increase charging infrastructure across Harborough and Leicestershire.

Alongside the Green Living Leicestershire Group, which is all seven district and borough councils across Leicestershire, and with support from Leicestershire County Council and Midlands Net Zero Hub, Harborough District Council has led on a £2.3million collaborative project called Flex D to expand electric vehicle charging across the county. The other £1.15million of funding was previously secured from the Business Rates Pooling Fund.

The Flex D project includes:

• solar powered charging hubs in each district and borough area, providing up to 12 charging points at each hub.
• development of rural EV car clubs enabling rural mobility and driving uptake of EVs and use of chargers with the provision of standard dual chargers in smaller village locations. This will support the development of the network of charging between hub towns and satellite villages.
• Harborough District Council will work with communities to support the move towards EV charging through roadshows and how to develop local car clubs.

Cllr Phil King, leader of Harborough District Council, said: “This funding is great news for all our drivers. It will see us be able to install EV chargepoints in the short-term, while working to support Harborough to deliver many more in the long term. The council will be able to keep rural communities in the district better connected.”

Anne Court, chair of the Green Living Leicestershire Group and chief executive at Oadby and Wigston Borough Council, said: “We welcome this exciting news of Harborough District Council receiving £1.15million of government funding to increase electric charging opportunities across Leicestershire. This collaborative project has secured the required funding to develop solar powered charging hubs in each district and borough areas.

“The project will also support local communities to move towards increasing electric vehicle usage with the development of rural EV car clubs and the provision of a number of charge points in smaller rural villages to develop the network of charge points between hub towns and satellite villages.”