"VITAL" electric charging bays will be installed in Worcester car parks.

Work will start this week to create 20 new electric vehicle (EV) charging bays in two city car parks.

The new additions aim to build on the success of the 12 Worcester City Council installed in St Martin’s Gate car park.

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The two car parks have been selected for this work because they are in areas where residents currently need access to off-street charging.

Where will Worcester's new EV chargers be?

Eight new charging bays will be created in King Street car park, with work commencing this Thursday (July 27). 

Work to install a further 12 at Tallow Hill car park will start on August 4. 

It is expected to take at least six weeks to install the new charging bays at each site, and during this time, a small number of spaces will be out of use.

At King Street, the eight new EV charging bays will replace nine standard parking spaces, while at Tallow Hill, 16 regular parking spaces will be replaced.

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Councillor Karen Lewing, chair of the council’s Environment Committee, said: “The number of electric vehicles on our streets is growing all the time, as the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030 gets closer.

“That means it’s vital that Worcester can provide the vital infrastructure for people to charge their EVs in the city, and this work is an important step in that direction.”

St Martin’s Gate EV chargers went live in October 2021, and there have been over 17,032 individual charging sessions at the site, collectively powering electric vehicles to drive over 1,250,469 miles.

The carbon saving those charging sessions have produced, in comparison to the use of petrol and diesel vehicles, is equivalent to the carbon captured by 1,448 trees.

The council’s Environment Committee approved a strategy for the rollout of more EV charging in Worcester in June.

This sets out how the council will use the latest data to identify the future uptake of electric vehicles in the city, pinpoint where charging infrastructure is required, and then work with partners to meet that demand.