TEN council-owned car park sites across the Forest of Dean now have electric vehicle charging facilities, as the council completed its rollout of the network.

Delivered in partnership with Connected Kerb, the project has increased access to public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.

The council said the network is popular with drivers. Since the first chargers became operational, more than 2,000 charging sessions have been recorded by 540 users, supporting approximately 130,000 miles of electric vehicle travel.

Councillor Dave Tradgett, Cabinet Member for Property and Projects at Forest of Dean District Council, said: "I am delighted to see the completion of this important project, which is already delivering benefits for residents, businesses and visitors across the Forest of Dean.

"Reliable and accessible charging infrastructure is essential as more people choose to drive electric vehicles. By providing charging facilities at council car parks across the district, we are helping to make greener travel a practical option for more people.

"The early usage figures are extremely encouraging and demonstrate the positive impact the network is already having. This investment supports our ambition to create a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for the Forest of Dean."

Data provided by Connected Kerb suggests the network has helped save an estimated 28,400 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions compared with equivalent journeys made using petrol or diesel vehicles.

James Douglas, Senior Account Manager at Connected Kerb, said: "It's been fantastic to work with Forest of Dean District Council on a project that is already making a real difference across the district. The early uptake has been really encouraging and shows the value of putting charging infrastructure in convenient, accessible locations.

"By bringing charging to all 10 council-owned car parks, we're helping make electric vehicle ownership a more practical option for residents, businesses, and visitors alike."

The project was supported through funding from the government's On-Street Residential ChargePoint Scheme, which helps local authorities provide charging infrastructure for residents who do not have access to off-street parking. This scheme supported the installation of 31 charging points, providing 62 charging sockets across the district.

As a rural district where many residents rely on their cars for work and everyday travel, improving access to public charging infrastructure is an important step in supporting the transition to lower-emission vehicles while ensuring communities remain connected.

Residents and visitors can find EV charging points in council car parks across the district and charge using the Connected Kerb network.

Electric vehicles have been in the news around the Forest of Dean this year for other reasons. In August, residents were amused at a spelling error on painted charging bays at Cinderford’s Station Street. The bays were for “electric vehicels only”.

Soon after, Lydney saw a spelling error in a bay, but this time it was for ‘electirc vehicles’.

You can read more on that story via our website.

More information on the electric vehicle project and the Forest of Dean District Council's parking facilities can be found via its website.