West Berkshire Council has announced plans to deploy more than 600 new electric vehicle charge points across the district through a long-term partnership with charging infrastructure provider Connected Kerb. The programme is supported by £382,000 from the Department for Transport’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund and additional private investment from Connected Kerb.
The rollout is designed to expand access to public charging, particularly for residents living in flats or properties without private driveways. Alongside the initial installations, the scheme will also include the necessary infrastructure to enable a further 300 charge points to be added in the future as demand increases. Charging locations are expected to include public car parks and on-street sites, with final locations to be confirmed following feasibility studies.
Installation work is scheduled to begin in 2026, with full delivery planned over the first four years of the programme. West Berkshire Council stated that the approach is intended to support long-term growth in electric vehicle uptake while ensuring charging remains accessible across different housing types.
Connected Kerb will operate the network under a 20-year contract that includes a revenue-share model, capped tariffs and service level agreements covering reliability and performance. At the end of the contract period, ownership of the charging infrastructure will transfer to West Berkshire Council.
“This project is a major step forward in delivering our climate and transport strategy,” said Councillor Stuart Gourley, Executive Member for Environment and Highways at West Berkshire Council. “By expanding public EV infrastructure, we’re enabling more residents to support our net-zero goals by choosing sustainable travel and future proofing the district as demand grows.”
Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, concluded: “This partnership is all about giving every resident the confidence to go electric. By bringing reliable, affordable charging to the areas that need it most, we’re helping West Berkshire build a fair, future-ready EV network that serves the whole community.”
westberks.gov.uk
