First sites approved for Oxfordshire’s electric vehicle charging programme

Oxfordshire residents will soon be able to access more electric vehicle (EV) charging sites as part of plans to make EV charging easier and more accessible across the county.

Eleven on-street sites in Berinsfield, Burford, Henley-on-Thames, Kidlington and Oxford were given the go-ahead at an Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member decision meeting on Thursday 3 September.

These sites are being delivered by the county council through a £4 million government funded programme to install more than 1,500 public chargers of different types by summer 2028. Most sites in the overall programme will be in off-street car parks, with the remainder on street.

Seven other on-street sites across Oxford, Shrivenham, Witney and Bampton were deferred, to allow time for more engagement and site assessment work.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “Approving these first sites marks an important step in making electric vehicle charging more widely available across Oxfordshire.

“There is more work to do before some sites can move forward, but we need to achieve a balance between ensuring residents without EVs can continue to park and access essential amenities and providing a public charger service that encourages EV take-up.

“Reliable public charging is essential if people are to have the confidence to switch to electric vehicles. This is particularly important for residents without driveways and for rural and underserved communities, so that nobody is left behind.”

When finished, the programme will more than double the number of currently available public EV chargers in Oxfordshire ahead of 2030 when no new petrol or diesel vehicles can be sold in the UK.

The Oxfordshire EV infrastructure programme involves four strands of work:

• providing public chargers in council-owned car parks
• providing public on-street chargers
• allowing residents to apply for EV cable channels outside their homes
• and working with town and parish councils to install EV charging microhubs at community facilities.

The programme is designed to help the estimated 30 per cent of Oxfordshire residents who do not have a driveway or private off-street parking where they could charge an EV.

More than 700 responses were received during a formal traffic regulation order consultation on the first 18 on-street sites, held from 8 July to 7 August 2026. The council considered concerns about parking pressure, footway space, and the appearance of equipment in conservation areas before the decisions were made.

The network is intended to be reliable, easy to use and contactless. Most on-street units will be standard 7.4kW chargers so that residents without home chargers can charge their EVs at discounted energy rates while parked for several hours or overnight. There will also be a smaller number of rapid 50kw+ chargers installed in strategic locations and where the electrical supply allows.

Future proposed charger sites are still being assessed to make sure they are suitable, practical and carefully planned. This includes checking the detailed design, technical feasibility and electrical connections before any final decisions are made.

For more information about this release contact Oxfordshire County Council’s communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Notes to editors

• In Oxford, Binsey Lane, Cowley Road, Hamilton Road, and Whitehouse Road/Salter Close were approved, with Hockmore Street, Water Eaton Road and Cuddesdon Way approved pending additional work to establish that a minimum of 1.5 metres of space is left clear on the footway when equipment is installed.
• The Cuddesdon Way site is also dependent on whether an alternative off-street site can be delivered instead.
• Latimer Road was deferred to allow for further consideration of wider parking changes in the area and pending the council being unable to find better supported alternative local sites.
• The Phelps site in Kidlington was approved pending the council being unable to find better supported alternative local sites.
• Sites in Shrivenham, Witney and Bampton were deferred to allow for more local engagement.
• EV parking spaces proposed for Deddington will be decided upon at an October cabinet member decision meeting.
• EV parking spaces proposed for Carterton and Eynsham will not go ahead at this time.
• Installation of approved sites remains subject to detailed design, technical feasibility and electrical connection work.
• Connected Kerb is a partner investor in the programme and will install and operate on-street chargers, as well as chargers at Oxfordshire County Council park and ride sites and other county council car parks.
• Bicester firm EZ-Charge will install and operate charging hubs in participating city and district council car parks.

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