More than 5,500 electric vehicle
charge points, unlocked with £5.4 million in Combined Authority
funding, are set to be installed across Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough, subject to final
approvals.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
Combined Authority secured the money from the Government's Local
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund to provide charging
infrastructure for residents without driveways and off-street
parking.
Cambridgeshire County Council and
Peterborough City Council, as highway authorities, ran a joint
procurement for a contractor to install the chargers, with
Peterborough leading the
process.
Peterborough City Council's Cabinet
agreed on Thursday (October 1) to accept £1,075,770 of the LEVI
funding and award a 15-year contract to Believ, delivering 1,058
charge points in the city against a contract minimum of
185.
The full £5.4m funding required a
minimum 930 charge points to be installed across Cambridgeshire
and Peterborough to meet the Combined Authority's EV
Infrastructure Strategy. Believ will deliver 5,585 charge points
across the region six times more with the
additional 4,655 funded by private
investment.
In Cambridgeshire, 4,527 charge points
will be delivered from the rest of the LEVI funding, with
Cambridgeshire County Council approving delegated award of the
contract at its Highways and Transport Committee in December
2025.
It will support the region's 2040
target of 80% of households without off-street parking being
within a five-minute walk of a public charge point or able to
charge on-street from a domestic charger. The Government intends
to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from
2030, which means more chargers are
needed.
The contract includes commitments on
affordability and access, including a margin cap on the charging
price per kWh, and putting nearly a fifth of charge points in the
most deprived 30% of areas. Believ has also committed £1,016,500
of social value investment across Peterborough and the
Cambridgeshire districts.
The two-socket chargers will be
installed on residential streets, with locations to be agreed
following surveys and assessments, including engagement with
communities. Subject to
the remaining statutory procurement stages, delivery is planned
to begin next year.
Mayor of Cambridgeshire and
Peterborough,
said: Our commitment to delivering 930
chargers is unlocking many more times that number, which is
exactly what I want our funding to
do.
"If you've got a driveway, charging an
electric car is more straightforward. If you haven't, it's been a
real barrier, so this funding will help put EV charging within
reach for more people.
"I look forward to seeing delivery on
the ground, helping our drivers and supporting my work to get
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
moving."
Councillor Angus Ellis,
Cabinet Member for Environment,
said: This is a
significant chance to accelerate our city's transition to
cleaner, greener transport whilst improving access to EV charging
for residents who do not have off-street parking. The move ties
in with our ongoing work to reduce carbon emissions and we will
use grant funding to unlock substantial private sector
investment, delivering a much larger and more accessible charging
network than could be achieved through public funding
alone.
Awarding the contract will also enable
us to make full use of available national funding, supporting our
net zero and inclusive growth ambitions, and ensuring that our
communities benefit from modern, reliable and equitable EV
infrastructure. The recommendations provide a financially
sustainable and future-focused approach that supports residents,
attracts investment and positions Peterborough positively for the
transition to zero-emission
transport.
Cllr Beckett, Chair of the Highways &
Transport Committee at Cambridgeshire County Council,
said: Transport
is the largest contributor to our county's carbon footprint, so
helping all of us to transition to EVs will help to create a
greener and more sustainable
Cambridgeshire.
Limited access to a charging point
prevents many people, who still need access to a car, from
switching to an EV. Installing more than 4,500 new EV charging
points, especially in residential areas without off-street
parking, is going to be a
game-changer.
Notes to
editor
Peterborough City Council cabinet
papers went live on September 23rd and these can be
found here: https://democracy.peterborough.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=116&MId=5398
More detailed background from
Cambridgeshire County Council on the project can be found in
papers taken to Highways and Transport Committee
on 23
July 2024 and 2
December 2025.
