Norfolk electric car charger concerns raised by councillors

They hope that suitable roadside locations can be used by private companies, to rapidly increase the number of chargers in the county.

The move is part of Norfolk County Council's bid to ensure the infrastructure is in place to support a shift from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric ones. 

County Hall is already installing electric chargers on dozens of streets around Norwich.

But those chargers will tend to be in the 7kW to 22kW range, which is more suitable for charging overnight than people looking to rapidly charge up their vehicles - and are focused in the city.

And questions were asked, at a meeting of the Conservative-controlled council's infrastructure and development select committee, this week whether more could be done to provide places where people can quickly charge up vehicles.

Liberal Democrat councillor Rob Colwell (Image: Rob Colwell)

Rob Colwell, Liberal Democrat councillor for Gaywood South in King's Lynn, said he had owned an electric car for about a year-and-a-half.

He said: "You do have to start thinking a bit differently about how you do it, but it soon comes naturally.

"Touch wood, I haven't had any issues, but the point I'd like to make is that yes, we need more chargers, but we need the right type of chargers as well.

"Many residents have fed back to me that they're aren't enough fast chargers and the ones we are installing are quite low."

Eric Vardy, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for the environment (Image: Supplied by the Conservatives)

Eric Vardy, the council's cabinet member for the environment said: "Electric vehicle journey anxiety is something that's real and something that impacts on a lot of us."

Al Collier, the council's director of procurement, said it was important to have the right mix of electric vehicle chargers.

He said: "In general, the council and district councils will be dealing with on-street charging, which is typically in the 7kW range.

More electric car chargers are needed, say councillors

"It will be the private sector initiatives delivering the rapid chargers, as we've seen, for example, in the really good Gridserve facility on the outskirts of Norwich."

He added: "One thing we have committed to is looking at whether there are council sites we can make available to the private sector for that rapid charging."