Tower Hamlets pledges 2,000 EV chargepoints by 2026

Tower Hamlets has announced its goal to install 2,000 new electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints across the borough, having installed the first few last week to mark the start of a new push to accelerate access to sustainable transportation.

The project is being delivered in partnership with ubitricity, and is a cornerstone in the borough’s commitment to reducing emissions and improving air quality, after it declared a climate emergency in March 2019.

The chargepoints will be on-street residential and installed in existing lampposts, allowing those who do not have driveways to access EV infrastructure. The installation will be rapid and without disruption, taking just thirty minutes to install each chargepoint.

To be installed on a ward-by-ward basis, the roll out will start with Bow East, Island Gardens, and Whitechapels until the project is finished in early 2026.

Additionally, ubitricity, in collaboration with Shell UK, will provide apprenticeship placements to upskill Tower Hamlets residents, alongside funding to support intermediate, advanced and higher-level training throughout the ten-year agreement.

Tower Hamlets Council already has 9,200 public chargepoints in its arsenal, and so this is a welcome boost to spur the borough on to embrace electrification and increase its accessibility to all residents.

Lutfur Rahman, executive mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “As part of our commitment to becoming a net zero borough and tackling the climate emergency, expanding sustainable travel options is essential. We know that more residents and businesses are switching to electric vehicles—Tower Hamlets has over 5,400 registered plug-in vehicles, which represents an increase of over 200 per cent from the previous four years.

“With 93 per cent of homes lacking off-street parking, public charging infrastructure is vital. Our ambition is to build a comprehensive electric vehicle charging network in our borough—so that no residents are more than a three-minute walk from an electric charging point.

“Supporting a cleaner, greener borough for everyone means building emission-reducing infrastructure now while also investing in sustainable infrastructure that is fit for the future. We look forward to working with ubitricity as we deliver the new charging points and provide more apprenticeships for our young people to create local knowledge and support green job opportunities.”