Boost for roadside EV chargers in city

The number of roadside charging points for electric vehicles (EV) is set to triple in Portsmouth under new plans.

City council bosses aim to have about 420 on-street chargers up and running by the end of 2025.

Safety concerns saw the city's current network of 98 chargepoints shut down in 2023 - with 41 since reconnected.

The authority said it was preparing for the growing demand of electric cars.

More people in Portsmouth are choosing "greener vehicles", according to the council.

"For many EV owners, charging at home is the most convenient option, but off-street parking isn’t always available," a spokesperson said.

"By installing more on-street chargers, residents will be able to more easily charge their vehicles, making EV ownership more accessible to everyone."

More than £4m has been awarded for the scheme, funded by government grants and private sector investment.

Three new rapid chargers have also been installed in All Saints car park on Church Street, allowing motorists with EVs to charge their cars quickly.

Peter Candlish, the council's member for transport, said it was a vital boost to encourage people to use electric cars, following the "recent issues with on-street chargers".

All of Portsmouth's charging points were switched off in November after Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) found a fault.

Following "necessary modifications", 20 further EV charging points were expected to come back online over the next six weeks, the authority said.

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