Community charging ‘hubs’ proposed for electric vehicles

Electric car owners in Caerphilly could charge their vehicles in future at a series of community “hubs”, according to new proposals under consideration.

Caerphilly County Borough Council is coming up with ways to address “increasing requests” for public charging points, but said it is still “early days” yet.

But any council investment in the area’s charging network is likely to take the form of hubs for public use, rather than developing more infrastructure outside people’s homes.

The on-street charger model could lead to “neighbourly disputes” because “residents may want to protect the space outside their home for charging their vehicle”, according to a council report.

Cllr Nigel George, the cabinet member for highways, said “a more holistic hub-type strategy is more appropriate” than individual, on-street residential chargers.

The local authority will also wait to see how the market “dictates” private-sector investment in chargers alongside its own installation of community hubs, he told the council’s environment committee on Tuesday October 29.

As well as the prospect of on-street chargers causing rows between neighbours, the council report suggests any applications to install the devices would have to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis “and would put a huge burden on existing resources”.

There was disappointment from some committee members that a trial scheme of charging ducts in pavements had not been approved for Caerphilly.

Cllr Adrian Hussey said the council could have been the “first in Wales to trial this type of charger”.

Marcus Lloyd, the council’s head of infrastructure, said there were concerns about “cables outside highways” as well as accessibility questions for passersby.

“The biggest concern would be in terraced streets where parking is at a premium,” he added. “There could be a number of neighbourhood disputes.”

Gareth Richards, the council’s highways services group manager, said on-street chargers would throw up insurance questions for residents.

He also said the council would need more officers to manage the service “and in the current climate I don’t think that is appropriate”.

Caerphilly County Borough Council is anticipating a £45 million budget gap over the next two years, and has already warned it may have to reduce its workforce to help balance the books.

Committee member Cllr Bob Owen asked if the council had decided where the charging hubs may be located.

Mr Lloyd said it is “something we’ve been looking at” but at this stage take-up of electric vehicles “isn’t really there at the moment”.

The council’s transportation engineering group manager, Clive Campbell, added that it was “early days in the market” for charging infrastructure.