Locations in Needham Market, Stowmarket, Hadleigh and Sudbury join Plug In Suffolk Car Club
From this summer, residents and visitors across Suffolk will be able to book electric cars, as part of an initial 18-month trial.
It is thanks to a collaborative project with Co Wheels, funded by Suffolk Public Sector Leaders - including Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils.
Some additional charge point funding has been provided by the Department for Transport’s On Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS).
The aim is to provide Suffolk residents with easy access to electric community vehicles, as part of ambitions to transform Suffolk into a net zero county.
Two rentable electric cars will be placed at each of the following locations in Babergh and Mid Suffolk:
- Crown Street, Stowmarket
- Station Yard Car Park, Needham Market
- Maiden Way Car Park, Hadleigh
- Girling Street Car Park, Sudbury
With cars also becoming available to hire in:
- Ann Street, Ipswich
- Norfolk Road, Ipswich
- Norwich Road, Lowestoft
- Cannon Street, Bury St Edmunds
- Castle Street, Woodbridge
- Granary Road, Newmarket
A further location in Leiston is under review as an addition to the scheme.
Neighbouring local residents to the locations will receive free membership to the Suffolk Car Club, as well as credit added to their account.
Car clubs have already been successfully trialled in other parts of the country.
They have been found to have many benefits, including:
- Less petrol and diesel cars on the road - improving air quality and reducing parking pressures
- Lower costs for families by providing a convenient alternative to owning their own car or second car
- Better access to electric vehicles for communities
- Support for local businesses who can sign up to the scheme as a business to provide clean transport for their staff
The trial is being managed by Suffolk County Council, who will monitor appetite for a wider scheme across the county.
If successful, community electric vehicles could be rolled out to more locations in Suffolk in the future.
Suffolk Car Club bookings will be through Co Wheels either via their app, website or phone.
The chargepoints will largely be provided by Connected Kerb, with Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils managing those in their car parks.
“We’re pleased on-street bays in Stowmarket, as well as our Needham Market car park, will be among the locations for this new EV car club trial in Suffolk.
"This gives our residents the opportunity to try out an EV car without the upfront cost of buying one new, helping to reduce local emissions.”
“This new car club initiative in Suffolk is an innovative step in encouraging drivers to shift to more sustainable modes of transport and reducing our emissions.
"EV cars will be available in two of our car parks in Hadleigh and Sudbury giving residents the chance to test out an EV or explore it as an alternative to owning their own car.”
Visit the Plug in Suffolk Car Club webpage, via Suffolk County Council's website, to stay up to date with the latest news on the project.
