Leading the charge for a greener future

MOTORISTS can now charge electric cars for free in Huddersfield town centre.

The first of 105 new electric vehicle charging points in Kirklees has launched at Oldgate car park, just off Southgate opposite the Huddersfield Hotel.

The facility is thanks to funding from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, which is backing 17 new charging point sites in Kirklees as part of a £3m-plus scheme to help improve the county’s air quality.

Kirklees Council is developing a number of its own sites also while three rapid chargers and 22 slow to fast chargers are already available.

Each of the new sites, free to use until the end of October 2021, will have two bays. One is exclusively for taxis and private hire vehicles with the second for other users.

The rapid charging points can typically take under an hour to provide a full vehicle charge depending on the vehicle.

Parking will be free in pay and display car parks but limited to a one hour stay.

It also has an Air Quality Action Plan to try and improve the air we breathe by 2024.

Clr Naheed Mather, Cabinet Member for Greener Kirklees, said: “Our responsibility to tackle climate change is something we take very seriously.

“We have a strong and ambitious plan to make Kirklees carbon neutral by 2038 and a part of this is to invest in greener forms of transport.

“If we want more people to drive electric vehicles we need to make sure the right resources are in place.

“We can only tackle climate change with everyone on board so I urge people to read our plans and think about what you can do to improve our climate.”

People can register to use the network online at ev.engie.co.uk where they can also locate their nearest West Yorkshire chargepoint and find updates on the opening of new chargepoints.

The scheme is a collaboration between West Yorkshire Combined Authority and its partner local authorities – Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield councils.

Following its successful bid for £2 million funding from the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), West Yorkshire Combined Authority appointed Leeds-based ENGIE to install, own and operate the new charging points.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the partnering local authorities are also providing a further £1.2 million of match funding for the scheme.