Oxfordshire County Council has announced that Thame will be getting 10-12 modern, high-performance charge points for electric vehicles (EVs) early next year. The charge points will be installed on Southern Road car park, behind the Co-op.
Thame is one of 19 locations in Oxfordshire chosen to receive electric vehicle charging points as part of Oxfordshire County Council’s Park and Charge scheme. Park and Charge allows residents without off-street parking to park for free overnight, and to charge their electric cars using a fast charging point. During the day the chargers will provide battery top-ups for commuters and visitors.
Transport produces 27% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, which makes the switch from fossil fuels to electric vehicles an essential step in achieving carbon neutrality. The UK is ending the sale of petrol and diesel cars in 2030 and the race is on to create the infrastructure such an enormous change requires.
Thame Green Living (TGL) has been a strong supporter of the Park and Charge scheme as part of its broader drive to make electric vehicles a practical reality for the people of Thame. In September, we organised the Thame Drive Electric event, where we hosted the Park and Charge team.
As our own Wendy Duckham said, the event, which was attended by hundreds of local residents, could not have made Thame’s interest in electric vehicle charging any more plain:
TGL demonstrated with our Thame Drive Electric event the huge interest in electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging in Thame.
While the Park and Charge decision is a great first step, Thame Green Living will continue to look for other ways to promote the switch to electric vehicles, by seeking other charging points, and by promoting access to electric vehicles through its EV Hire Club project.