Electric vehicles charging in the council’s off-street car parks will soon be entitled to 30 minutes of free parking.
The changes will take effect from Monday 16 March 2020, from which date drivers of electric or hybrid vehicles that need to plug in and charge will be able to obtain a free 30 minute parking ticket to display in their vehicle.
Council electric vehicle charge points are available:
- Hereford; Garrick Multi Storey Car Park, Plough Lane, Shirehall and Venn Close Car Parks
- Kington; Mill Street Car Park
- Ledbury; St Katherine’s Car Park
- Leominster; Etnam Street Car Park
- Ross; Red Meadow Car Park
New rapid charging points are also to be installed in February 2020 at Edde Cross Street Car Park in Ross, St Martins in Hereford and Broad Street in Leominster. These will be capable of delivering an 80% charge to a vehicle in 20 minutes.
Electricity supplied to the council’s charging point network is produced from 100% renewable energy.
Cllr John Harrington, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Transport, said: “As part of the council’s commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, we are delighted to announce this scheme. It is hoped that this incentive will encourage those purchasing a new vehicle to consider alternatives to petrol or diesel engines and in doing so reduce the impact that harmful nitrous oxide and particulate matter in our town and city centres can have.”
Herefordshire Council declared a climate emergency last year, and will publish its new Carbon Management Plan in April this year. The document will outline the council’s plan to reduce carbon emissions over the next five years and set an interim target for its commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030/31.
