Over the next two years, Oxfordshire residents will benefit from the largest installation of public electric vehicle (EV) charging points ever seen in the county following the award of two charge point operator (CPO) contracts.

Connected Kerb and Bicester-based EZ-Charge have been chosen to provide more than 1,500 public EV charging sockets, doubling the number currently available.

Connected Kerb has been selected to install and operate on-street EV chargers on the highway, as well as Oxfordshire County Council-run park and ride sites and other car parks. EZ-Charge has been chosen to install and operate EV charging hubs in district and city council car parks in Oxfordshire.

These two companies will work together with Oxfordshire’s councils to create a reliable, easy-to-use, contactless EV charging network spanning the county. This will give more people the opportunity to switch to an EV – regardless of where they live or their parking situation – to improve Oxfordshire's environment and air quality.

Public EV charger deployment will be prioritised in areas where a high proportion of residents lack off-street parking. Site feasibility will be one of the first priorities of the new CPOs, and so announcements about locations will not be made until later.

Oxfordshire County Council is also set to launch a community microhub scheme by inviting town and parish councils and other non-profit-making community organisations to host public EV charging points in car parks at community hubs such as village halls, community centres and sports pavilions. Six pilot sites have been chosen to have EV chargers installed later this year ahead of the scheme opening for formal applications.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “This programme will provide a huge confidence boost to drivers looking to switch to EVs and build on our leadership in this field.

“One of our top aims is to get reliable, accessible public EV charging into rural and deprived areas. This will help ensure that nobody will be left behind in the transition to driving electric.”

Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, said: “We are thrilled to have won the Oxfordshire contract and look forward to bringing our tried and tested EV charging solutions and innovative smart charging tariffs to the area.

“As one of the UK’s largest and most experienced CPOs, we look forward to meeting the growing EV charging needs of Oxfordshire’s residents, visitors and commuters and providing the highest standards in EV charging and customer service.”

Phil Shadbolt OBE, CEO of EZ-Charge, said: “It’s really exciting to be working with Oxfordshire councils again to install and operate EV charging hubs in district council car parks. Our experience from Park and Charge Oxfordshire has shown that providing high quality charging facilities in residential areas can give people without driveways the confidence to make the switch to EV.

“As a local company, we are particularly proud to be able to provide reliable and accessible EV charging to local residents where they really need it most.”

Funding comes from a combination of Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) and other grant funding from the government and significant private investment from the two CPOs.

Keir Mather, Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, said: “We know charging availability is one of the biggest barriers to people going electric so it’s great to see over £3.6m of our investment rolling out 1,500 new public chargers in Oxfordshire, more than doubling the number available to drivers in the area.

“We’re also cutting upfront costs for families when they buy a new EV with our Electric Car Grant helping over 55,000 drivers save up to £3,750.”

The focus will be on standard 7kW chargers that residents without home chargers can charge their EVs with at discounted energy rates whilst parked overnight.

There will also be a smaller number of rapid 50kw+ chargers installed in strategic locations and the whole network will provide much needed top-up charging for residents, visitors, commuters and working drivers during the daytime.

West Oxfordshire District Council Cllr Andrew Prosser, Executive Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, said: “Expanding public charging in this way means more people can make the switch to electric with confidence. We at West Oxfordshire District Council are pleased to play our part in a countywide effort that gives residents real, practical choices where they haven’t previously had them.”

Councillor Mike Giles, South Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Policy and Climate Action, said: “Putting chargers in micro hubs such as village halls is the way forward for rural areas. In South Oxfordshire Stanton St John village hall installed EV chargers, thanks to a council grant. Increasing the charging network across the county gives people confidence to make the switch to EVs wherever they live.”

Councillor Dr Robert Clegg, Vale of White Horse District Council Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Climate Action and Nature Recovery, said: “Many people want to reduce their carbon footprint and local air pollution, but it isn’t always practical to switch completely to public transport in our rural area, and not everyone can charge off-street at home. These contracts will give rural would-be EV owners access to charging sites, just as we already have at some of our town-based council car parks.”

Councillor Rob Pattenden, Cherwell District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Property and Assets, said: “Cherwell District Council is enabling this project by supporting the installation of electric vehicle charging points across our parking infrastructure. This investment is essential in Cherwell, where many residents do not have access to on-street charging.

“In addition, the district has significant transient traffic, increasing the demand for conveniently located charging facilities. By expanding access to charging infrastructure, we are making it easier for people to transition to electric vehicles. This will help reduce pollution; improving local air quality, whilst lowering the region’s impact on climate change.”

Councillor Anna Railton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Zero Carbon Oxford at Oxford City Council, said: “This is a really positive step forward in expanding Oxford’s public EV charging network. Making charging more accessible, particularly for residents without off-street parking, is key to enabling more people to switch to electric vehicles. We’re pleased to be working alongside partners across Oxfordshire to deliver infrastructure that supports the transition to EVs. ”

Last year, as part of the same government backed EV infrastructure programme, Oxfordshire County Council announced it had awarded the contract to ODS for the delivery of EV cable channel charging installations for homes without off-street parking.

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In 2023, a deal worth £82.5 million was agreed between Oxfordshire County Council, the government, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach to fund the fleet of new battery electric vehicles.

Provisional data suggests that bus fleet electrification has reduced roadside citywide nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) concentrations across Oxford by an average of 10 per cent from 2023 to 2024, and up to 24 per cent in areas of high bus traffic such as St Aldates and High Street.

The transition from diesel to electric buses also cut roadside traffic related noise in central Oxford by an average of 5.1 decibels – comparable to the reduction in noise you would experience by moving three times further away from a road.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We are proud and thrilled that we were able to back our ambitions with political and financial capital, alongside our partners, to deliver a safer, cleaner, greener, better county for residents and visitors. This provisional data shows what a difference these electric buses are making to people’s lives already.”

The analysis by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) funded Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team (Universities of Birmingham, Warwick and Keele), in partnership with the University of Oxford, investigated air and noise pollution changes before, during and after the introduction of battery electric buses in Oxford.

It also explored people’s experiences of introducing and using the new fleet, including key stakeholders, bus passengers, residents and commuters.

Dr Suzanne Bartington, Clinical Associate Professor in Environmental Health at the University of Birmingham, said: “The transition to electric buses has had a measurable and meaningful impact on air and traffic related noise quality in Oxford. Importantly, we found that people noticed these changes – including less diesel fumes and fewer sleep disturbances, suggesting a real benefit for people’s lives.”

The zero emission bus regional area (ZEBRA) funding scheme is a national initiative contributing to transport decarbonisation and improved bus quality and provision. It has supported the deployment of over 4,000 zero emission buses in England since 2021.

In Oxfordshire, the county council contributed £6m and secured £32.8m from the Department for Transport. This was supplemented by £43.7m from the two commercial bus operators to support the introduction of 159 battery electric buses, across 34 routes in Oxford city centre and the surrounding areas, plus the Sightseeing buses.

At full implementation, electric buses account for 69 per cent of daily bus mileage within the city and 49 per cent of daily bus flow.

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “We’re proud of the significant contribution to reducing emissions and improving air quality in Oxford our fleet is making.

“The whole community is positively benefiting from this ambitious infrastructure project, which demonstrates what can be achieved when key stakeholders have a shared vision and work together.

“We remain committed to building on this progress across the county and have invested in a further 13 electric vehicles which will enter service in spring 2026. These vehicles will help to improve air quality more widely in our county.”

Chris Hanson, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, said: “The introduction of our 55 electric vehicles in Oxford has been truly transformational. These buses are delivering greener, zero emission journeys right across the city’s network, while also offering a noticeably smoother, quieter and more comfortable experience for our customers.

“The response from passengers has been overwhelmingly positive and, just as importantly, this investment marks a vital step towards our pledge to operate a fully zero emission fleet by 2035.”

Air pollution is the largest environmental risk to health in the UK contributing to an estimated 30,000 early deaths each year.

Exposure increases the risk of asthma, stroke, heart disease and lung cancer and is linked to adverse birth outcomes, diabetes, high blood pressure and dementia.

Simon Lightwood, Roads and Buses Minister, said: “We all know that zero emission buses offer smoother, quieter journeys for passengers but as this research shows, they play an important role in delivering cleaner air in our towns and cities too.

“I am delighted to see the effect these electric buses are having across Oxfordshire, made possible by over £32 million in funding from the government. Not only do they get people to work and hospital appointments, they also help the environment, giving greener options for everyone.”

In Oxford city, air pollution has fallen in recent years but while legal limits are widely met across the city, levels still exceed World Health Organisation global air quality guidelines.

Noise pollution has a direct impact on sleep and increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression and anxiety.

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Starting later this month, Go Electric Oxfordshire events are happening in every district to allow residents to learn about EVs and explore the wide range of vehicles and charging solutions that are currently available.

The events are open to all and are organised in partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire’s city and district councils, with support from Let’s Experience Electric.

Councillor Ben Higgins, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Future Economy and Innovation, said: “These fabulous, free events are part of our overall programme to provide a confidence boost to drivers looking to switch to EV and build on our leadership in this field.

“Alongside hugely expanding Oxfordshire’s public EV charging network, we also want residents to simply feel better informed and more familiar with the types of electric vehicles that more of us will be driving in the near future.”

The series kicks off on Saturday 21 March at the Woolgate Centre in Witney from 10am - 3pm. To register your interest visit the Eventbrite website.

Attendees can test drive models from a range of local dealerships, receive tips from experts and explore options such as car clubs and leasing. There will also be e-bikes to try and lots of practical information on things like renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Councillor Andrew Prosser, West Oxfordshire District Council’s Executive Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, said: “I’m thrilled to see a large scale event like this coming to Witney and helping give our residents real world experiences with electric vehicles.

“I’d encourage West Oxfordshire residents to visit and discover how it feels to drive an EV and explore the various ways it might be more viable than you think to make the switch.”

Free EV test drives will be available across a wide range of vehicles of all shapes and sizes and to suit all budgets.

Attendees can also find out more about Oxfordshire’s plans to expand the public EV charging network and to explore other charging options such as charger sharing and cable channels.

Further events are planned for Abingdon, Banbury, Oxford and Didcot later this year. More information is available at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/goelectric

Funding for these events comes from a combination of Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) grant funding from the government and contributions from local car dealerships and other stallholders.

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Oxfordshire residents without off street parking can apply for a scheme that allows them to charge an electric vehicle (EV) outside their own home.

The pilot project, being delivered by Oxfordshire County Council, is set to accelerate the transition to cleaner, greener electric vehicles. It will initially benefit 500 residents who don’t have their own driveway.

EV charging cable channels are an affordable and practical solution for people without off street parking who want to switch their petrol or diesel car to an electric one.

They allow the cable from a home charger to safely cross the pavement and connect to a kerbside EV without causing a trip hazard.

The project – believed to be the largest of its kind in the UK – benefits from a £700,000 government grant. The funding will significantly reduce the cost of the EV charging cable channel and its installation for the first 500 residents to successfully apply through the council’s website.

Summertown resident Guy Hargreaves, who took part in a similar but smaller trial in 2022, said: “My EV charging cable channel works so brilliantly that I can’t find a single fault in the product. I would recommend it to all EV and prospective EV owners who only have on-street parking adjacent to their properties without the slightest hesitation.

“The charging channel allows us to minimise the use of commercial chargers, whose rates are still a little too high at present. And, of course, being able to charge at home is safe and convenient.”

The project is part of a wider programme that will see at least 1,200 public EV chargers installed across the county by the end of 2027 as part of Oxfordshire’s local EV infrastructure (LEVI) funding, announced in 2024.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “A third of Oxfordshire householders don’t have off street parking, so we believe this could be a real game-changer and give residents the confidence to switch to an EV.

“Being able to access home electricity rates and park in your usual spot are the sorts of things that are likely to make EV ownership a reality for many local people.

“We are confident that the scheme will be enthusiastically received and that this opportunity – alongside the major programme of public EV charger installation that we are about to embark on – will mean EV ownership will really take off in Oxfordshire in the next few years.”

Although the cable channels don’t come with designated parking spaces, in previous trials the users have found their neighbours to be sensitive to their parking needs and they are able to park and charge their car several times per week as required.

In the pilot scheme, the resident will pay the council £300, which includes a site survey, the installation of a channel and a licence to use the channel for the first two years. After the second year, they will have to pay the council an annual fee of around £100 to use the channel, which covers operating costs.

Once the £700,000 pilot funding has been used to install the first 500 EV charging cable gullies, the scheme may continue but is expected to be fully funded by residents.

The only way to install an EV cable channel in Oxfordshire is to apply to Oxfordshire County Council, which manages the highways. For safety reasons, people cannot install one themselves or have it privately arranged.

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An electric car club pilot scheme has proved so popular that 15 vehicles are set to remain in place at more than 10 new and existing locations around the county, following the end of the 18 month trial period.

Since the pilot scheme was launched in April 2023, it has attracted over new 1,200 members, seen over 5,200 individual hiring sessions and led to more than a quarter of a million electric miles being driven.

The scheme has been coordinated by Oxfordshire County Council and is supported by Oxford City Council and Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire district councils who have hosted the pilot vehicles in their car parks. The vehicles have been provided and operated by hire companies Co Wheels, Enterprise CarClub and Zimbl.

The success of the extended trial scheme means that car club vehicles are set to continue in the following locations:

• Abingdon – Cattle Market and West St Helen Street car parks (Co Wheels)
• Banbury – Calthorpe Street West and Windsor Street car parks (Zimbl)
• Bicester – Claremont car park (Zimbl)
• Eynsham – Back Lane car park (Co Wheels)
• Henley – Greys Road car park (Co Wheels)
• Oxford – Redbridge and Seacourt Park and Rides (Co Wheels and Zimbl)
• Wallingford – Cattlemarket car park (Co Wheels)
• Witney – Woodford Way car park (Enterprise CarClub).

New car club vehicles are also set to be introduced at these new locations:

• Chipping Norton – New Road car park (Zimbl)
• Woodstock – Hensington Road car park (Zimbl)
• Thame – Upper High Street (Co Wheels).

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment and Future Generations, said: “The popularity of the EV car clubs has led to the continuation of the schemes in many places, meaning even more residents and businesses can try out these shared cars for themselves.

“Car clubs give people the chance to use an EV when they need one, without the expense of owning or leasing one outright. They can make it much more affordable for people who don’t drive every day and provide real-world experience of driving electric without a long-term commitment.”

It is estimated that a successful car club vehicle can take on average 20 individually owned cars – often petrol or diesel vehicles – off the road.

EVs in the scheme can be hired from £5.95 per hour, including insurance, plus 12p per electric mile.

If demand for car clubs continues and funding can be identified, then it’s likely more car club locations will be introduced within the next few years. Residents can submit locations where they would like to car clubs using Oxfordshire County Council’s EV charger and car club demand tracker.

Updated details about the EV car club pilot and where your nearest car club location is can be found on the Oxfordshire County Council website.

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Money from the Department for Transport will seed fund a major rollout of infrastructure worth over £10m that will see more than 1,300 public chargers delivered in the county by the end of 2025. The rest of the funding will largely come in the form of investment from the EV chargepoint operators themselves.

Oxfordshire County Council led the application in close collaboration with Oxford City Council and Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils.

The programme aims to create a reliable, easy-to-use, contactless EV charging network spanning the county. This will give more people the opportunity to switch to an EV – regardless of where they live or their parking situation – to improve Oxfordshire's environment and air quality.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council with responsibility for Climate Change, Environment, and Future Generations said: “This funding will provide a huge boost to Oxfordshire’s growing EV charging network and build on our leadership in this field, removing one of the blocks to EV ownership. One of our top aims is to get reliable, contactless public EV charging into rural and deprived areas, ensuring that nobody will be left behind in the transition to driving electric.”

The programme, known as OXLEVI, will be the largest deployment of public EV charging infrastructure ever seen in Oxfordshire and will treble the amount of public chargers currently available.

The focus will be on standard 7kW chargers that residents without home chargers can use overnight at discounted rates. The new EV chargers network will also provide much needed top-up charging for residents, visitors, commuters and working drivers during the daytime.

The scheme is expected to include the installation of rapid chargers and charging bays suitable for van drivers, disabled drivers and EV car clubs. Most of the new EV chargers will be installed in off-street parking locations such as council car parks, building on the success of the Park and Charge project, which installed 250 EV charging points across council car parks in Oxfordshire between 2021 - 2022.

In line with national policy change, the LEVI funding will see Oxfordshire County Council take on the responsibility to deploy EV Infrastructure on the highway, including delivery of phase two of the Go Ultra Low Oxford project (GULO), which will see a minimum of 100 GULO chargers delivered in Oxford alongside the LEVI chargers.

The county council is also looking to launch a grant scheme to enable parish councils and associations to create community EV charging microhubs by installing EV chargers at village halls and community centres.

Some EV chargers will also be installed on the highway in areas where insufficient suitable off-street car parking is available.

Councillor Anna Railton, Oxford City Council’s Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Climate Justice, said: “This funding will help ensure that electric vehicle charging infrastructure is consistent across both Oxford city and county by aligning it under one countywide approach, while securing the principles set out in the Oxford EV Infrastructure Strategy – with access as equitable, convenient and easy as possible for residents. We are looking forward to collaborating with the county council with their rollout within the city to help meet Oxford’s electric vehicle charging needs.”

Councillor Freddie Van Mierlo, South Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Nature Recovery, said: “This investment will complement and expand capacity already delivered by South Oxfordshire District Council in its car parks, which is proving popular, especially in Henley.

“Market towns and rural areas can often lack suitable off-street parking, putting off EV ownership. I’m pleased this scheme is focusing on filling these gaps to better support residents wanting to switch to EVs, as well as supporting parish and town councils.”

Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council and Cabinet Member for Climate Action, said: “EV ownership is growing in the Vale, recent grants through our Climate Action Fund have gone to EV projects such as charging points in Blewbury and an EV car club in Harwell. For EV use to grow even further, the number of chargers has to increase in readiness, and we should do all we can to facilitate this.”

Councillor Andrew McHugh, Cherwell District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Cleaner and Greener Communities, said: “Supporting environmental sustainability is a key priority to Cherwell District Council and this funding will enable us to improve and expand access to electric vehicle charging across the district.

“Electric vehicles are rising in popularity as more people look to play their part in addressing the challenge of climate change. There’s already a great level of take-up for electric vehicles in north Oxfordshire and I hope that those considering one will be encouraged to do so by our expansion of charging infrastructure and provisions.”

Councillor Andrew Prosser, Executive Member for Climate Change at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “This latest funding announcement is great news. Boosting the number of publicly available electric chargers and investing in a wider network of charge points is pivotal to helping people transition to electric, while giving those who’ve already made the move more opportunities to charge at a time and place convenient to them.”

Anthony Browne, Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, said: “This Government has a plan to help speed up the installation of EV chargepoints, which we’re getting on and delivering. This dedicated funding to local councils is part of our plan to ensure people can switch from a petrol or diesel car to an EV when they choose to do so.”

Oxfordshire’s councils will shortly be tendering for suppliers to deliver and operate the new public EV charging network and will announce more details of site locations following full feasibility studies later this year.

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The trial features electric vehicles (EVs), which can be hired on an hourly or daily basis from district and city council owned car parks around the county. They are currently in place in Bicester, Banbury, Kidlington, Eynsham, Henley, Wallingford, Abingdon, Witney and Oxford.

The pilot has been organised by Oxfordshire County Council and supported by Oxford City Council, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire district councils to assess the demand. The vehicles are provided by hire companies Co Wheels, Zimbl, and Enterprise CarClub.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council with responsibility for Climate Change, Environment and Future Generations, said: “I’m extremely pleased to see the positive response to EV car clubs in many of the towns and villages involved in the pilot. I welcome the extension to the scheme, which will mean even more residents and businesses can try out these shared cars for themselves.

“Car clubs can play a key role in reducing carbon emissions in Oxfordshire, as well as reducing the number of individual vehicles on our roads and helping people to reduce the cost of living. If you haven’t tried them out, now’s your chance.”

Since the start of the pilot, more than 500 new members have signed up to use the EV car clubs and the vehicles have been hired over 2,000 times.

It is estimated that a successful car club vehicle can take on average 20 individually owned cars – often petrol or diesel vehicles – off the road.

The continued success of the scheme is dependent on increasing use of the vehicles in the pilot, so residents are encouraged to make use of introductory offers available and try out their local vehicle while they can.  If the vehicles continue to be well used, some of the current sites could be considered as long term locations for car club EVs, and a wider rollout could also follow in other locations. 

Eynsham car club user, Lisa Hynes, said: “We have used the Co Wheels car in Eynsham and it’s been brilliant.

“It’s right in the centre of Eynsham and has meant that we haven’t needed to buy an additional car as we can use the Co Wheels car as and when we need it. We have really enjoyed driving an electric car too.”

EV car clubs give people the chance to use an EV when they need one, without the expense of owning or leasing one outright. Car clubs can make it much more affordable for people who don’t drive every day and provide real-world experience of driving electric without a long-term commitment.

EVs in the scheme can be hired from £5.95 per hour, including insurance, plus 12p per electric mile. Residents can make use of promotions, reduced membership and driving credit offers as part of the pilot scheme.

Updated details about where your nearest car club location is, and information about promotional offers, can be found on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Lessons learned from the pilot will feed into a countywide car club strategy being developed by the county council later this year.

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The £82.5 million project will deliver 159 new battery buses on to the roads of Oxford – the first of which have already gone into service. It has also funded two associated electric charging hubs at the city’s bus depots.

The bus fleet has been funded through a collaboration between the county council and Oxford Bus Company, owned by The Go-Ahead Group, and Stagecoach. The council was awarded £32.8m from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme and contributed £6m directly, while bus operators invested £45m.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “I'm proud and thrilled that the county council is backing its ambitions with political and financial capital, alongside our partners, to deliver a safer, cleaner, greener, better county for residents and visitors.

“Together with policies such as traffic filters to hugely increase bus efficiency, we are delivering on our vision of a better future. This is an exciting and important moment for us all."

The county council has committed to help reduce bus journey times by at least 10 per cent in the city to ensure the investment is viable for bus operators.

The groundbreaking infrastructure project is a huge boost to Oxford’s vision to creating a more sustainable, decarbonised public transport system and improving air quality.

Oxford Bus Company will deliver 104 electric buses into service and Stagecoach 55. Working with Zenobē, the UK’s leading fleet electrification specialist, Oxford Bus Company has installed 104 charging points at its Cowley House depot, with Stagecoach installing charging points at its Network Oxford site.

The charging hubs are powered by EDF Energy’s Oxford Superhub network, providing enough electricity to charge all 159 buses, enough for each bus to drive up to 200 miles per day.

To celebrate the historic development, partners gathered for a launch event at Divinity School in Oxford city centre on Monday night where some of the new electric buses were showcased and key representatives delivered speeches.

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “This is a historic moment in our journey towards transforming our city services to electric. Our first tranche of electric buses is now in service and is already starting to improve air quality and make bus travel an even more attractive option for people to travel around Oxford.

“Decarbonising buses is an exciting project – and we have demonstrated that with the right strategic partnership working between the public and private sector, we can unlock investment to make it happen. We look forward to working with Oxfordshire County Council on important initiatives going forward to encourage people to travel by bus.”

Matt Carney, CEO of The Go-Ahead Group’s bus division, said: “Go-Ahead is proud to be the largest operator of zero emission buses in Britain. Electric buses make an enormous difference to air quality in cities and by decarbonising our fleet in towns and cities across the country, we aim to make a positive contribution to the fight against climate change.

“These new buses in Oxford will form Go-Ahead’s biggest fleet of zero emission buses outside London. The project is an example of bus operators working closely with local authorities to deliver for communities.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director of Stagecoach West, said: “Today is a momentous day for Stagecoach West and for the city of Oxford, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter in sustainable bus travel. As a business we are fully committed to operating a zero emission bus fleet by 2035 so the introduction of these electric vehicles onto the roads today is a big step towards this vital goal.

“We must all play our part in improving air quality and reducing CO2 emissions in all areas of business and industry across the UK.  I hope the introduction of these new electric vehicles will entice new passengers to bus travel and those already travelling with us can rest assured they’re already making a great choice.”

Roads Minister Guy Opperman said: “Zero emission buses are vital for cleaner local travel, with 159 new UK-built electric buses coming to Oxford thanks to government funding – supporting skilled UK manufacturing jobs.

“This project is supported by over £32m in government support, as part of £330m already provided since 2020 for zero emission buses in England, outside of London, to make strides towards an all zero emission bus fleet."

Councillor Anna Railton, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Climate Justice, Oxford City Council, said: "I am delighted that the first tranche of ZEBRA electric buses has now arrived in Oxford and are serving Oxford's communities. Electric buses not only help to clean up Oxford's air but they are a crucial mode of transport in our city – especially for those who do not have access to cars. I am looking forward to seeing these buses on our roads." 

Oxfordshire was one of only 12 local authorities to successfully apply for ZEBRA funding. The Oxford Bus Company vehicles have been manufactured by Wright Bus in Northern Ireland, with the Stagecoach vehicles manufactured by Alexander Dennis in Scotland.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Wrightbus, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting Oxford Bus Company in the drive to transform transport in the city and help build a more sustainable future.

“We’re proud to say our StreetDeck Electroliner BEV is the world’s most efficient double deck battery-electric bus and we have taken that technology into the development of our single deck, which has also been classed as the most efficient on the UK’s roads.

“We’ve created the most efficient vehicles by combining optimum power with a class-leading rapid charge, meaning our electric buses spend more time on the road than any other. We’re confident passengers in Oxford will enjoy the experience.”

Marianne Costigan, Head of Private Wire at EDF Renewables, said: “As we see the inauguration of one of the largest electric bus fleets in the UK, EDF Renewables is proud to be a key enabler of this ground-breaking initiative.

“Our Energy Superhub Oxford network already serves EV drivers in the local area at Redbridge Park and Ride charging locations. We are delighted to now be delivering the necessary energy infrastructure to support Go-Ahead, Stagecoach and their passengers as they supercharge Oxford towards its decarbonisation goals and improve air quality.”

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Zimbl, a Banbury-based start-up company, has provided the additional EVs at two car parks in the town.

The electric car sharing pilot is a partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire district councils. Each council has provided the car parking spaces for the vehicles.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “Zimbl is a welcome addition to our car club partnership. The programme represents a great option for residents looking for access to a vehicle without having the ongoing cost and worry of owning one, and many families will find them an ideal substitute for a second car, reducing clutter on your driveway or in the street.

“With all the vehicles in the car club fleet being electric, there’s the added bonus that people can experience driving an EV, adding to the big emissions and cost savings that come from lower car ownership.”

Zimbl join existing car club providers Co Wheels, and Enterprise CarClub, offering pay per use EVs for the trial which is scheduled to end in April 2024.

Richard Devitt, Co-Founder of Zimbl, said: “We believe that car ownership is an outdated concept – especially for second cars – and that car sharing will soon become the new norm. By hiring an EV only when we need to use a vehicle, we save money and help to reduce emissions.

“We believe in the power of electric mobility to create a sustainable and greener future and our mission is to provide accessible, convenient and hassle-free hourly electric vehicle (EV) hire services – revolutionising the way people access electric vehicles.”

The EV car club scheme gives people the chance to drive an EV when they need one, without the expense of owning or leasing one outright. Car clubs can make it much more affordable for people who don’t drive every day and provide real-world experience of driving electric without a long-term commitment.

The Oxfordshire wide pilot launched in April 2023, making a range of EVs available for people to hire on an hourly or daily basis at the following locations. Details and locations are available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Richard Falconer, Managing Director of Co Wheels, said: “It is great to see that Oxfordshire, once again, is leading the UK in providing sustainable transport options. This exciting expansion across the county reflects the growing demand for car-sharing clubs, driven by residents who are increasingly recognising the environmental and economic advantages of shared mobility.

“As we continue to make traditional car ownership a thing of the past, we've recently expanded in Oxfordshire by introducing two MG4 electric cars in Bicester and Kidlington, bringing our total fleet to 50 vehicles all conveniently located not just in the city centre but now in towns and villages across the county. This expansion aligns perfectly with the growing awareness and enthusiasm for eco-conscious choices, as we continue our journey toward a cleaner, more sustainable future for all.”

The EV car club pilot is running for 12 months and will assess the demand for this type of service across Oxfordshire. The pilot project aims to inform longer term plans for potential EV car club rollout across the county.

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World EV Day, which takes place on 9 September, is an annual event aiming to highlight the progress in e-mobility and promote the shift to electrified transport.

This year, to celebrate World EV Day, the electric vehicle charging point companies will be offering deals – including free charging – for drivers across Oxfordshire.

There’s also the chance to join the county-wide EV car club scheme, with significant deals during World EV Day saving you money on membership and hire fees.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “Over 50 per cent of new car sales in Oxfordshire are fully electric: we are UK leaders in the gathering momentum behind the switch to electric vehicles nationally. EVs have gone from a rarity to a common sight on our roads in only a few years.

“World EV Day is a way of marking this important change, signposting people to useful information and advice about making the switch, offering innovative opportunities to experience electric driving, as well as helping and guiding those who have already made that switch.”

Since last year’s World EV Day, global electric vehicles sales have increased 39% and, in July 2023, (48%) of newly registered vehicles in Oxfordshire were purely electric. 

Drivers can find their local charging point on ZapMap.

Redbridge Park and Ride

Fastned, Tesla and Wenea will all be offering free charging for the whole day for any electric vehicle at their charging points at Redbridge Park and Ride.

Redbridge Park and Ride is home to Europe’s most powerful EV charging hub and can offer fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles at once.

The offer provides free electric vehicle charging only. Parking charges will still apply.

EZ Charge

EZ Charge, which operates 250 charging points at 20 park and charge sites across Oxfordshire, will be offering app members the first hour of charging for free.

After the initial hour, usual rates will apply: 47p/kWh during the day and 42p/kWh overnight.

RAW charging

RAW charging, which operates on-street charging bollards across Oxford, will be offering free charging at any of its Oxford locations:

• Stockmore Road
• Lake Street
• Frenchay Road
• Sandfield Road
• Juxon Street
• Stone Street
• Wytham Street
• Bedford Street
• Vicarage Close
• West Street

Blink

Blink charging, which operates electric vehicle charging at Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, Keble Road, Manzil Way, Old Greyfriars Street and Headington Car Park, will be marking World EV Day with a donation to charities working to eradicate lung disease.

Co Wheels Car Club

Co Wheels Car Club will be offering a special promotional code (WORLDEVDAY) for new members who sign up before World EV Day.

The promotional code will provide new members with £15 free driving credit on sign up, as well as no joining fee (usually £25) and no monthly fee (usually £5 per month) for the full duration of their membership. 

Oxfordshire electric vehicle (EV) car club pilot

Residents can continue to join the county-wide EV car club scheme this World EV Day, with car-club locations including Redbridge Park & Ride, EZ-Charge sites, and Co Wheels Car Club. 

The initiative is an electric car-sharing pilot is a partnership between Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, and Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire district councils that has provided the car parking spaces for vehicles.

Find out more about electric vehicles

Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire district councils, and Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OXLEP) have created the Climate Action Oxfordshire website.

The website contains lots of information about choosing an electric vehicle as well as information about other ways Oxfordshire residents can help tackle the climate emergency.

Councillor Louise Upton, Oxford City Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Healthier Communities, said: “World EV Day is about celebrating and thanking those making the switch to go electric. With a growing second-hand and car-sharing market, more and more people are moving to electric and Oxfordshire is continuing to lead the uptake. If you are an EV driver, why not take advantage of one of the many offers, and if you’re curious about electric cars this is a great time to try one out by joining an EV car club.”

Councillor Andrew McHugh, Cherwell District Council Portfolio Holder for Cleaner and Greener Communities, said “Electric vehicles are an important element of the shift we need to make as a society to meet the challenge of climate change and improve air quality in our urban areas. We’re playing our part with park and charge sites and EV car clubs operating in council car parks across Cherwell district. There’s already a great level of take-up for electric vehicles in north Oxfordshire and I hope that World EV Day helps further drive enthusiasm for them with some of the offers that are available for local motorists.”

Councillor Freddie van Mierlo, South Oxfordshire District Council Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Nature Recovery said: “World EV Day is a good opportunity to highlight the benefits of EVs, such as reduced carbon and lower running costs. With new petrol and diesel vehicles banned from 2030 and EVs increasingly popular, we want to make it as easy as possible to make the shift. The EV chargers that we installed in some of our council-run car parks last year are already being well used.”

Councillor Bethia Thomas, Leader of Vale of White Horse District Council and Cabinet Member Climate Action and the Environment, said: “The EV car clubs now in council-run car parks, like those we have in Abingdon and Wantage, are a great step forward in reducing carbon emissions, lowering the numbers of individual vehicles on our roads and helping bring down the cost of driving. We hope people will take up the special introductory offers this week which make the cost of EV car clubs even lower.”

Councillor Andrew Prosser, West Oxfordshire District Council Executive Member for Climate Change, said: “As we celebrate World EV Day, it’s really exciting to see so many new electric cars being registered in Oxfordshire and ultimately our roads becoming cleaner. We hope more people will give driving an electric vehicle a go and the new county-wide EV car clubs are an easy and affordable way of getting behind the wheel of one without the need of owning your own car.”

Ade Thomas, Oxford resident and Founder of World EV Day, said: “World EV Day, like many great ideas, was born out of an Oxford-based organisation, Green.TV Media. So, we're delighted it's now both a major global campaign, and an idea supported by Oxford City Council with its free EV charging for a day, in partnership with the local charge point operators.”

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Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire district councils have partnered with car club providers Co Wheels, Enterprise CarClub, and Thame EV Car Hire to offer pay per use EVs on a 12 month trial basis.

The scheme gives people the chance to access an EV when they need one, without the expense of owning or leasing one outright. Car clubs can make it much more affordable for people who don’t drive every day and provide real-world experience of driving electric without a long-term commitment.

Jenny Figueiredo, Oxfordshire County Council’s EV Charging Project Manager, said: “Introducing EV car clubs right across the county is a key step in cutting our carbon emissions, as well as reducing the amount of individual vehicles on our roads and helping people to reduce the cost of living.

“Providing pay per use car sharing schemes like this makes it possible for people to consider giving up their own cars or second cars, and also to be more conscious of making an active decision about every journey they make.”

The EV car club vehicles are based in these locations:

• Cattle Market car park, Bicester (Enterprise CarClub)
• Claremont car park, Bicester (Enterprise CarClub)
• Calthorpe Street West car park, Banbury (Co Wheels)
• Windsor Street car park, Banbury (Co Wheels)
• Curtis Place car park, Kidlington (Enterprise CarClub)
• Woodford Way car park, Witney (Enterprise CarClub)
• Back Lane car park, Eynsham (Co Wheels)
• Southern Road car park, Thame (Thame EV Car Hire)
• Greys Road car park, Henley (Co Wheels)
• Cattlemarket car park, Wallingford (Co Wheels)
• West St Helens car park, Abingdon (Co Wheels)
• Cattle Market car park, Abingdon (Co Wheels)
• Portway car park, Wantage (Co Wheels)
• Energy Superhub, Redbridge Park and Ride, Oxford (Co Wheels).

It is estimated that a successful car club vehicle can take on average 20 individually owned cars – often petrol or diesel vehicles – off the road.

Following on from the success that Oxford has seen with its growing network of car club vehicles around the city, the countywide pilot will assess demand for shared EVs and car club models across Oxfordshire.

Richard Falconer from Co Wheels said: “We have seen growing demand for shared vehicles – especially electric cars – in Oxford city as people realise that owning a car can damage your wallet as well as the environment.

“We think it is the ideal time to make zero emission cars available across the county as it has such a high level of residents who want to travel more sustainably. Oxfordshire is at the cutting edge of how we will use cars in future and is setting an example that other parts of the country will follow.”

Daniel Gursel, Enterprise CarClub Director, said: “We are delighted to work with Oxfordshire County Council to launch this service. Car club is a great option to meet changing travel patterns for both residents and visitors to the area as well as helping reduce private car ownership and give people the opportunity to drive an EV.

“Enterprise CarClub members have access to our complete network of around 1,500 vehicles in more than 220 towns, cities and communities across the UK. This means they can enjoy the convenience of shared mobility not only in Oxfordshire but also when travelling elsewhere in the country.”

Ross Batting, director of Thame EV Car Hire, said: “The residents of Thame are embracing the green revolution and we firmly believe a community EV car club scheme can be a major part of this. The future of mobility looks very different from the traditional car ownership model, and we are proud to be able to play a part in a greener, more sustainable future for the wonderful town of Thame and beyond.”

Most of the vehicles – which can be hired by the hour or by the day – are brand new fully battery EVs with a range of between 150 - 250 miles each. They will largely be based at the recently installed Park and Charge EV charging hubs in district council owned car parks across the county.

There will also be a new EV car club vehicle at the Energy SuperHub at Redbridge Park and Ride in Oxford for the same trial period.

Car club membership is required in order to use new vehicles, and residents living near the new EV car club locations should look out for promotional codes giving them free or discounted membership as an incentive to try the scheme for themselves. Members can then hire car club vehicles in the scheme from as little as £5.95 per hour, including insurance, plus 12p per mile.

The EV car club pilot will be initially for 12 months to assess the demand for this type of service across Oxfordshire. The pilot project aims to inform longer term plans for potential EV car club rollout across the county.

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Last March, Oxfordshire County Council was awarded £32.8 million from the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.

Along with £6m from the council itself and £43.7m from bus companies Stagecoach and the Go-Ahead Group, which includes the Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, and City Sightseeing Oxford, the scheme will deliver the electric buses and the infrastructure to charge them.

Following the signing of contracts between the bus companies and the manufacturers, and the council’s approval of trial traffic filters in Oxford to help reduce bus journey times by at least 10 per cent in the city, confirmation of Oxfordshire’s ZEBRA scheme has now been finalised.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This is a huge boost in the move towards creating a sustainable, decarbonised public transport system, and improving air quality.

“We believe that, along with other schemes proposed in the county, this new fleet of electric buses will transform our public transport system and encourage more people to travel by bus.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director for Stagecoach West, said: “We're excited to be announcing this major milestone for Oxfordshire, which will be a major step forward in improving air quality across the region. This builds further on the major investment being made by Stagecoach across the country to support the transition to a zero emission bus fleet. 

"We look forward to working with our local authority partners on their plans to further decarbonise the city, which will help us to speed up journey times and attract more people out of their cars and on to reliable, sustainable public transport services." 

Luke Marion, Oxford Bus Company Managing Director, said: “This ground-breaking plan and significant investment will radically improve air quality in Oxford. We look forward to continuing to work with key partners to deliver this ambitious project, which will make bus travel an even better option for getting around our city."

Roads Minister Richard Holden said: “We want to see a better bus network around Britain and that means reliable, affordable, clean buses, and we will do everything possible to decarbonise our transport network and support skilled jobs in next generation bus manufacturing across the UK.

“We’ve already invested hundreds of millions of pounds to kick-start the rollout of zero emission buses nationwide, and it’s great to see Oxfordshire County Council, Stagecoach and Go-Ahead Group making use of our funding to transform its fleet to electric. This move will boost UK manufacturing, drive down emissions and improve bus services for people across the region.”

Councillor Louise Upton, Cabinet Member for Health and Transport, Oxford City Council, said: “Air pollution is a major cause of poor health in Oxford and cleaning up our bus emissions is an important step towards better air quality for everyone who lives, works, and visits Oxford.

“Buses are a vital part of how many people travel around Oxford, especially the 30 per cent of Oxford residents who do not own a car. Let’s not underestimate the importance of the county’s proposed congestion-busting traffic measures in giving the bus companies the confidence to invest in these electric buses. Hopping on a brand new electric bus, with free WiFi and stop announcements for the partially sighted, will make bus travel a much more attractive option for everyone.

“We are looking forward to seeing these new buses on Oxford’s roads as part of a zero emission bus network. It all helps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and fulfil our aim of cutting the city’s carbon footprint.”

Transport is the largest contributor to nitrogen dioxide (NOx) emissions in Oxford, accounting for two thirds of the total emissions, with both diesel cars and buses contributing to roughly one third of the transport emissions each.

The arrival of the 159 electric buses is expected to support a further drop in NOx levels that will help clean up Oxford and Oxfordshire’s air pollution, reduce noise pollution and help make Oxfordshire a net zero carbon county well before 2050.

Oxfordshire was one of only 12 local authorities to successfully apply for ZEBRA funding and is one of the biggest schemes in the country.

All the new buses are being manufactured in the UK and are expected to arrive by March 2024. It will be one of the largest orders outside London and will mean that most services across the Oxford Smartzone will be operated by battery electric buses.

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The final EV charging hub in the Park and Charge Oxfordshire project went live this month at Claremont short stay car park in Bicester.

It marks the completion of the 20th hub successfully delivered in the project and means a total of 250 EV charging points have been delivered across the county since May 2021.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change Delivery and Environment, said: “The reaction from Oxfordshire residents has been overwhelmingly positive, from EV drivers and prospective EV drivers alike.

“Park and Charge is enabling local people who don’t have private off-street parking to have a convenient location to charge their EVs overnight, meaning more Oxfordshire residents have the opportunity to drive electric. It’s another great reason to make sure your next vehicle is an EV.”

The hubs have been seeing very promising usage level with over 3,300 individual EV charging sessions taking place across the Park and Charge network in October alone – a 23 per cent rise in the number of charging sessions since the previous month.

The EV chargers have been designed and produced by local Bicester-based company – EZ Charge – who will operate the chargers for the next 10 years.

Oxfordshire has the highest uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country, with 32 per cent of all new vehicles sold in August being fully battery electric EVs.

The 20 Park and Charge locations, each containing between 10 and 16 EV charging points, are:

• Cattle Market and Claremont car parks in Bicester
• Curtis Place car park, Kidlington
• Windsor Street and Calthorpe Street West car parks in Banbury
• Woodford Way car park in Witney
• Black Bourton car park in Carterton
• Hensington Road car park in Woodstock
• Back Lane car park in Eynsham
• New Street car park in Chipping Norton
• Cattlemarket and Goldsmith’s Lane car parks in Wallingford
• Kings Road and Greys Road car parks in Henley
• Southern Road car park in Thame
• West St Helens, Audlett Drive and Cattle Market car parks in Abingdon
• Portway car park in Wantage
• Southampton Road car park in Faringdon.

Councillor Sue Cooper, South Oxfordshire District Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change and Nature Recovery, said: “We’ve been pleased with the interest in the EV chargers in South Oxfordshire, with one car park in Henley alone having more than 1,000 sessions in its first three months. The uptake of charging bays has been higher than expected in some car parks but in others it will take longer as habits change.

“Having plenty of spaces to charge EVs will help those thinking of buying an EV but do not have a charging point at their property.”

Councillor Sally Povolotsky, Vale of White Horse District Council Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Environment, said: “We’ve been very pleased to bring EV chargers to the Vale-run car parks as part of our council goals to reduce carbon emissions. There has already been a high rate of EV ownership in Oxfordshire which is why we have undertaken this long-term project investing in the infrastructure to make it easier for those to make the switch to an EV whether or not they have access to easy charging at home.

“The scheme has been designed to encourage local residents without off-street parking to switch to an EV as they can park and charge in our car parks overnight. This has already proved popular in Abingdon with nearly 20 per cent of charging sessions at West St Helen car park being done overnight.”

Councillor Andrew Prosser, Cabinet Member for Climate Change at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Latest statistics suggest that a third of all new cars bought in Oxfordshire are now fully battery electric, which is well ahead of the rest of the UK. Projects such as Park and Charge are helping to build countywide EV infrastructure that supports this growth in EV ownership.

“We want to make it easier for EV drivers to charge up and give motorists the confidence to purchase their first electric vehicle. Maximising opportunities to grow this network will accelerate the shift to ultra-low emission transport and our pathway to net zero carbon emissions.”

Councillor Dan Sames, Cherwell District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Cleaner and Greener Communities, said: “The pioneering EV charging project has exceeded expectations and usage continues to grow. We are delighted to have been able to expand the project and create more charging hubs within Cherwell.”

The £5.4 million project was funded by grants from Innovate UK and the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles as well as private investment from local companies Zeta and Urban Integrated. It has provided the biggest ever single boost to public EV charging infrastructure in the county.

The network of ‘fast’ EV chargers have a power rating of 7kW to 22kW, which means EV drivers can get between 25 and 75 miles of charge for every hour they charge, depending on the rate at which their vehicle can charge. These innovative chargers are highly robust and reliable, and have multiple payment options including contactless ‘tap and go’, ensuring that EV drivers can always get a charge when they need one.

More details on how to use the chargers and the Park and Charge scheme are available at www.parkandchargeoxfordshire.co.uk.

The Park and Charge project is a key part of the Oxfordshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, which was named Public Sector Infrastructure Strategy of the Year at the 2022 Electric Vehicle Innovation & Excellence Awards (EVIEs).

Oxfordshire County Council is currently working with all other councils across Oxfordshire to roll out further residential EV charging hubs in car parks right across the county, pending securing appropriate funding.

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The initiative, planned and overseen by Oxfordshire County Council is part of the HARMONY project, testing low-carbon transportation as well as the integration of new mobility technologies with existing systems. Support was provided by academic partner, University College London, and organisations from the Harmony consortium such as RUAS, who managed the trial operation by providing and flying the drones, and Airbus through its Unmanned Traffic Management platform (UTM).

The Harmony consortium has planned a total of three pilot demonstrations, taking place in Oxfordshire, Rotterdam and Trikala. Their overall objective is to demonstrate electric automated vehicles (AVs) and drones in real-life conditions integrating them with traditional transport modes to understand the requirements, reactions and barriers and collect real-world data. The project received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.

The pioneering combination of technologies used throughout these demonstrations mean they are the first of their kind, looking to advance mobility sustainability by reducing emissions, congestion and noise levels.

The trials at Milton Park, which included the use of an electric van provided by Oxfordshire County Council, and the delivery of a defibrillator, successfully highlighted that the mobility technologies tested enabled increased efficiency and speed of freight delivery.

Oxfordshire has one of the most sophisticated road traffic control centres in the UK and Milton Park was selected as the ideal location for the trials as it could offer a safe and controlled environment for innovative exercises. The Park proved to be a robust testing ground as the drone navigated airspace over the main roads and nearby railway, permitted by Network Rail, while also manoeuvring around buildings and green spaces.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change Delivery and Environment, said: “Innovative zero-carbon-ready transport is set to make a huge impact, it just needs us to demonstrate how. Hence this trial, which is another example of our close working with our world leading universities, of which we are extremely proud. As a council, we’re already doing high profile work to help everyone reduce their individual emissions footprint and this is how we’re looking to decarbonise the rest.”

Veronica Reynolds, Sustainability and Community Manager at Milton Park, said: “It was a real privilege for Milton Park to be chosen as the location for these cutting-edge trials in drone technology and we’re grateful for the chance to collaborate with the other consortium partners on such an exciting project.

“The benefits from this innovative technology are clear to see, particularly from a sustainability point of view, as it could ultimately lead to fewer vehicles spending less time on the roads and a reduction in carbon emissions.”

To learn more about the Harmony Project, click here.

Your Oxfordshire

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Oxfordshire County Council has been awarded £32.8 million from the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.

Along with £6m from the council itself and £43.7m from bus companies Stagecoach and the Go-Ahead Group, which includes the Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, and City Sightseeing Oxford, the scheme will deliver the electric buses and the infrastructure to charge them in a package worth £82.5m.

This funding will support plans to create a zero carbon transport network in Oxford. Last month, Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council announced updated proposals to introduce a city wide workplace parking levy, traffic filters and a wider zero emission zone. 

The proposed traffic filters will help reduce bus journey times by at least 10 per cent in the city. Consultations on the traffic filters, zero emission zone and workplace parking levy will take place in summer this year, with a decision due at the county council’s Cabinet in the autumn.

The commitment from bus operators is dependent on reduced bus journey times. The county council will receive funding from the government after its Cabinet has made a decision on the proposed traffic filters.

The new electric buses will be used on bus routes operating wholly within the Oxford Smart Zone, an area covering all of Oxford and stretching from Kidlington in the north to Sandford in the south, and from Cumnor in the west to Wheatley in the east. They will save an estimated 9,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – the equivalent of taking more than 6,000 cars off the road. They could start to be delivered to Oxfordshire’s roads between the summer of 2023 and the spring of 2024.

Bill Cotton, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Environment and Place, said: “This is wonderful news for Oxfordshire and a major leap forward for transport decarbonisation and cleaner air in the county. Along with other transport schemes proposed in Oxford, this new fleet of electric buses will transform our public transport system and encourage more people to travel by bus.

“We are looking forward to working with our partners at Stagecoach, Go-Ahead and Oxford City Council to create a sustainable and reliable public transport system.”

Phil Southall, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel and City Sightseeing Oxford said: “This is excellent news and a pivotal step in our collective aim to radically improve air quality in Oxford. Go-Ahead Group, Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel have always been at the forefront of introducing sustainable low-carbon technology in the UK and Oxfordshire bus operators have committed £43m to the electric programme. However, to make a fleet transition financially viable we need to speed up bus journey times by 10 per cent.

“We now look forward to the public consultation on transport and connectivity in Oxford this summer. We are committed to a zero emission future, but the cost of delivery makes it critical we all work together to ensure it is delivered effectively. If this can be done, we can provide 159 electric buses in two years.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director at Stagecoach West, said: "We welcome today's announcement, which will complement the significant investment and initiatives by operators as we work together to transition to a zero emission bus fleet and help the country achieve its net zero ambitions. 

"Stagecoach has already started its journey towards our target of a fully zero emission UK bus fleet by 2035, and there is also a major opportunity to deliver cleaner air by people switching to more sustainable public transport, cycling and walking. Britain’s buses have an exciting future ahead, helping decarbonise the country, as well as driving economic recovery and levelling up our communities."

Tom Bridgman, Executive Director for Development at Oxford City Council, said: “The city council welcomes this government funding which will support both councils’ plans announced last month to introduce a city wide workplace parking levy, traffic filters and city centre zero emission zone.  

“In order to achieve the maximum benefits of having a modern electric bus fleet, Oxford’s roads need to have more space for buses, cyclists, and pedestrians to move freely, and quickly – without being stuck in traffic. The city council will be working with Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford’s bus companies on making the case for the traffic-reduction measures which would facilitate the delivery of these new electric buses, one of the key benefits for Oxford and the county as a whole.”

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An electric vehicle (EV) owner has given his backing to a “brilliant” new innovation which enables people without off-street parking to charge their cars at home.

Semi-retired father of three Guy Hargreaves has had an electric car for two and a half years. He is one of 30 volunteers around Oxfordshire piloting the Gul-e scheme – a home EV charging solution. It provides a secure and durable cable ‘gully’ or channel that is seamlessly installed into the pavement so that cables will not cause a trip hazard.

To charge their EV, the user parks in front of their home, inserts the charging cable into the Gul-e and plugs the vehicle into their household energy supply.

Guy, 58, who lives in Summertown, Oxford, said: “To own an electric car without off-street parking is less convenient. It’s not undoable, but it requires an adjustment in your lifestyle. Now I’ve got this home-charging solution we have a much broader range of options and it’s definitely saving me money compared to commercial charging rates.

“The problem was always going to be that I’m not guaranteed to be able to park outside my own house, as we are part of a residents’ permit parking zone. But with the cable coming out from the footpath I can charge in two different parking spots, or even three if I reverse my car into the space.

“The Gul-e works brilliantly and I would definitely recommend it. Frankly it adds to the value of the house. There’s no reason why every house in the street couldn’t have one.

“Safety-wise, my cable runs cleanly down the gully and then it runs down the footpath nowhere near where you would trip. In terms of the footpath it’s 100 per cent clear.”

Funding for the Gul-e project was awarded by the government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and Innovate UK. The project partners are Oxfordshire County Council and ODS, working with Oxford City Council as the shareholder of ODS.

Initial feedback from volunteers suggests users find the Gul-e easy to use, and much more convenient than commercial EV charging options. Although it doesn’t come with designated parking rights, the users have found their neighbours to be sensitive to their parking needs and are able to park and charge their car several times per week as required.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “This is a neat and innovative solution to one of the blocks to people switching to EVs. It makes the convenience and low cost of home charging available to people who don’t have a driveway, without trailing wires across the pavement. I’d like to thank all these volunteers for taking part in the trial, and the feedback we get from them will be invaluable as we roll this programme out across the county.

“EVs aren’t a silver bullet to solving the climate crisis – we want people to avoid using cars where possible in favour of walking, cycling and using public transport – but speeding their adoption will help with the rapid reduction in emissions that we need in this decade.”

Councillor Mike Rowley, Cabinet Member for Citizen Focused Services, Oxford City Council, said: “As we move towards an electric vehicle future, trialling different charging solutions to meet the needs of different users is essential to encouraging uptake. In Oxford we have a large number of streets with on-street parking, and this exciting trial will allow more residents to charge their electric vehicle at home.

“I am delighted that ODS is involved in this project, and that it is building on the learnings of Go Ultra Low Oxford technology to expand to residents across Oxford and Oxfordshire.”

Current charging options for households without off-street parking currently range from trailing charger cables across the public highway, which can cause trip hazards and hinder people with limited mobility, or reliance on expensive public charging provision, often far from their homes.

Currently, 34 per cent (111,000) of Oxfordshire’s households do not have access to off-street parking. Although the Gul-e may not be suitable for all residences, it is expected to form part of the overall package for EV charging infrastructure.

The Gul-e project was driven by the need to support the predicted rapid uptake of EVs in Oxfordshire. If successful, it is hoped the scheme will be opened up to other local authorities across the UK.

The government is ending the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 and hybrid vehicles by 2035. To enable sufficient electric vehicle (EV) uptake, charging must be accessible and affordable for all.

The Gul-e scheme supports the delivery of the Oxfordshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, providing genuine benefits to people and the environment.

Anyone wanting to register their interest in having a Gul-e fitted can go to www.gul-e.co.uk/

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Oxfordshire County Council this month applied for £32.8 million from the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme. Along with £6m from the council and £43.7m from bus companies Go Ahead and Stagecoach, the scheme could deliver 159 electric buses and the infrastructure to charge them in a package worth £82.5m.

If successful, the electric buses would operate in an area stretching from Kidlington in the north to Sandford in the south, and from Cumnor in the west to Wheatley in the east. They would save an estimated 9,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year – the equivalent of taking more than 6,000 cars off the road.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This government's levelling up agenda aims to ‘bring the rest of the country's public transport up to London standards’. That is a laudable and ambitious aim. It can only be achieved by significant and determined investment in our bus network and doesn't currently match the reality on the ground.

“That is why I hope our transformational electric bus bid is supported. The county council will then do its bit to re-engineer the network to make that investment work effectively and efficiently. This is what government say they want, what our bus operators need and, ultimately, what our residents deserve.”

Councillor Tom Hayes, Oxford City Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, said: “To clean up our air, we need to clean up the emissions produced by getting around. The importance of a zero emissions bus fleet is clear as we seek to achieve our ambitious target to become a net zero city by 2040 or sooner.

“It's also important for improving the experience for bus passengers. As we introduce Britain’s first zero emission zone pilot, the submission of the ZEBRA bid is timely and critically important to bring about the large-scale adoption of electric buses across our city. I am looking forward to hearing the outcome of this bid and taking the next steps towards a zero carbon Oxford by 2040.”

Phil Southall, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said: “We are hugely supportive of this ambitious and exciting vision to significantly improve Oxford’s air quality and carbon emissions. Go-Ahead Group and Oxford Bus Company have always been at the forefront of introducing sustainable low-carbon technology in the UK. More than three-quarters of our fleet meets the Euro VI emissions standard and three of our Oxford city sightseeing vehicles are already electric.

“A scheme of this scale of course comes with challenges and the significant bus operator investment required to support the transition to electric will require public policies to reduce congestion, speed up bus journey times by 10 per cent, and encourage active travel such as cycling and walking.”

Rachel Geliamassi, Managing Director at Stagecoach West, said: “We’re pleased to have been able to support Oxfordshire County Council with the bid for an electric bus fleet. If the bid is successful, it will be a monumental step forward towards decarbonising public transport in Oxford and, once aligned with the delivery of Connecting Oxford, will truly transform bus travel in the city.

“This investment forms an important part of Stagecoach’s strategy to deliver a zero emission bus fleet across the UK in support of the country’s net zero ambitions. This, combined with encouraging motorists to switch from cars to more sustainable transport options, such as buses, offers the best possible solution for reducing carbon emissions and improving local air quality.”

The bid demonstrates Oxfordshire’s ambitions to be a global leader in transport decarbonisation through the radical transformation of Oxford’s transport system, reconfiguring it for a zero-carbon future. Decarbonisation of Oxford’s bus network by 2030 is a vital part of these plans.

The government decision is expected next month and, if successful, the new electric buses should start to be delivered to Oxford’s roads between the summer of 2023 and the spring of 2024.

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Following the installation of the first park and charge EV hub at Bicester’s Cattle Market car park in May, the locations of the remaining 19 sites have been announced. Work started earlier this month and is due to be completed by March 2022.

The park and charge scheme allows residents without off-street parking to park for free overnight and charge up using a ‘fast’ 7 - 22kw EV charging point. The chargers will also provide much needed battery top-ups to commuters and visitors during the daytime.

The project is being delivered by a consortium of partners including Oxfordshire County Council, University of Oxford, Urban Integrated UK, and Bicester firm Zeta Lighting which is running the EV charging service under the trading name EZ-Charge. Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse District Councils are also supporting the scheme and hosting the EV charging hubs.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change Delivery and Environment, said: “Many councillors have already had residents who don't have off-street parking asking about charging EVs, and we at the county council know we need to accelerate different solutions to that problem. Park and charge is a key part of the Oxfordshire EV strategy, helping people to move away from using diesel and petrol vehicles.”

The locations set to benefit from park and charge hubs, each containing between 10 and 16 EV charging points, are:

• Claremont car park, Bicester
• Curtis Place car park, Kidlington
• Windsor Street and Calthorpe Street West car parks in Banbury
• Woodford Way car park in Witney
• Black Bourton car park in Carterton
• Hensington Road car park, Woodstock
• Back Lane car park, Eynsham
• New Street car park, Chipping Norton
• Cattlemarket and Goldsmiths Lane car parks in Wallingford
• Kings Road and Greys Road car parks in Henley
• Southern Road car park, Thame
• West St Helens, Audlett Drive and Cattle Market car parks in Abingdon
• Portway car park in Wantage
• Southampton Road car park in Faringdon.

Councillor Sue Cooper, South Oxfordshire District Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change and Nature Recovery, said: “This is great news for residents as they will have access to 62 new chargers across the district. This could be the difference to those living in Thame, Wallingford and Henley, to make the switch to EV ownership knowing they have easy access to charging points. Being part of this project also shows the council’s determination to take action to tackle the climate emergency, which we are prioritising as part of our corporate plan.”

Councillor Catherine Webber, Vale of White Horse District Council Cabinet member for the Environment and Climate Emergency, said: “We are delighted that we can accommodate so many EV charging points across the Vale in our car parks. It should really help those wishing to switch to EVs but who live in town centres such as Abingdon, Faringdon and Wantage and have on-street parking which can make it difficult to access charging. More chargers should mean more people can make the switch to cleaner travel.”

Councillor Dan Sames, Cherwell District Council’s Lead Member for Clean and Green, said: “The pioneering electric vehicle charging project has exceeded expectations and usage continues to grow. We are delighted to be able to expand the project and create more charging hubs within Cherwell. The added bonus is that we are using home grown technology developed by a Bicester-based company.”

Councillor David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Climate Change at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “With transport emissions being the largest contributor to greenhouse gases and air pollution in the district, moving to electric vehicles is a hugely important step in reaching our local and national net zero targets. The positive news is that recent statistics suggest that one in six cars now sold have a plug. We are delighted to be a partner in the park and charge Oxfordshire project, which will see more EV charging points installed across the county and here in West Oxfordshire, making it even easier for residents and business to make the switch to ultra-low emission vehicles.”

It is predicted that by 2030, one in five cars on Oxfordshire’s roads will be an EV, according to data modelling by the University of Oxford.

The £5.4 million programme is among the first of its kind in the UK and is being funded by the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles through Innovate UK and the government’s On-Street Residential Charging Scheme.

Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said: “Providing accessible and reliable charging infrastructure is fundamental in our mission to achieve net-zero. I am delighted Oxfordshire County Council has received funding through our £20m On-Street Residential Chargepoint scheme and I hope it gives the area a boost to go green and to make it easier for drivers to make the important switch to electric.”

More details about the scheme are available on the Park and Charge website.

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It would mean that up to 166 brand new electric buses could be introduced. If Oxford is successful in winning the requested funding, the electric buses would operate in an area stretching from Kidlington in the north to Sandford in the south, and from Cumnor in the west to Wheatley in the east. More than £78 million could be invested in the local public transport network should the bid for funding make it through the final round of the government’s Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, said: “I’m thrilled with this fantastic news. We’ve demonstrated that Oxford is fully committed to becoming even cleaner and greener, and that we have the partnerships ready to move quickly to a cleaner future with electric buses. Along with growth in electric vehicles, our electric demand responsive bus service and all the work we’re doing with sustainable energy, we’re well on the way to a carbon neutral future.”

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Oxfordshire’s park and charge team will be running live roadshow events in Abingdon, Witney and Henley in August. These free events will be an opportunity for residents to learn more about EVs and the different options for making the switch.

The test drive events will take place 10am - 4pm on:

• Saturday 14 August at Cattle Market car park, Abingdon
• Friday 20 August Kings Road car park, Henley
• Saturday 21 August at the Woolgate Centre, Witney.

The test drives form part of Oxfordshire’s £5.2 million park and charge project that has been awarded funding from Innovate UK as part of the government’s investment in British engineering to transform electric charging infrastructure. The project is being delivered by Oxfordshire County Council, with support from Cherwell District Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, the Vale of the White Horse District Council, Zeta Specialist Lighting, Urban Integrated UK and the University of Oxford.

Event organisers are working alongside local dealerships Go Green Autos, North Oxford MINI and Jaybee Motors. To book a test drive, residents can visit parkandchargeoxfordshire.co.uk choose their preferred day and venue and fill out a quick form. A member of the park and charge team will confirm all bookings.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, said: “Come and test drive an electric vehicle. We are in the twilight of petrol and diesel cars, as we must move to zero carbon transport in the next few years for the sake of our health and the planet.

“Our new park and charge hubs will be appearing in towns and villages across the county to be a safe place for overnight charging, particularly for those who don’t have off-street parking and can’t easily charge their vehicles at home. Be part of the future and come along for what promises to be a fun and informative experience.”

As well as test driving an EV, attendees will be able to chat to local experts and members of the park and charge team to find out more about driving electric and about the EV charging hubs that are coming to Oxfordshire later this year. 

Park and charge hubs can be found within 22 county and district council owned car parks around the county, offering overnight charging bays for residents to use. The first one opened in Bicester in May, enabling drivers to park for free overnight and charge up using one of the 12 new EV charging points, which also provide much needed battery top-ups to commuters and visitors during the daytime.

Councillor David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Climate Change at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Over a third of West Oxfordshire’s CO2 emissions can be attributed to transport, which is hugely significant when looking at how we can go about reducing the district’s carbon footprint. Creating a network of EV charging points across the county encourages people and businesses to make their next car purchase electric, confident in the knowledge that they will be able to charge their vehicle at a time and place convenient to them. This is a vital step in how we bring about change.”

Councillor Catherine Webber, Vale of White Horse District Council Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Environment, said: “One of the ways the council aims to achieve the district-wide target of becoming carbon neutral by 2045 is by working closely with partners wherever possible. This is why the council is working with Oxfordshire County Council to build on our commitment to active travel. It is also partnering with Oxfordshire councils on the Oxfordshire electric vehicle infrastructure strategy and the park and charge project.

“We are delighted that we can host a park and charge event at the council’s Cattle Market car park in Abingdon so people will have a chance to test drive some electric vehicles and find out more about this exciting project.”

Councillor Sue Cooper, Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council and Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Nature Recovery, said: “The council is a partner in several innovative energy projects across the county, including the Oxfordshire energy strategy and local energy Oxfordshire project in addition to the park and charge scheme. This is just one of many ways we as a council are aiming to achieve our target of becoming a carbon neutral district by 2030.

“We are very pleased that we are able to use the council’s Kings Road car park in Henley to showcase the park and charge project and, if possible, we'd like people to walk or cycle to the event.”

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Since its launch in February in Headington, the e-scooter trial by Oxfordshire County Council and partner Voi Technology has proved an overwhelming success. Over 9400 unique users have signed up to use the app-enabled scooters for zero-emission journeys as part of a big investment the council has made in the active travel infrastructure thanks to the Department for Transport’s £2.9 million grant.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Highway Management at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Our electric scooter trial in Oxford with Voi has brought us an exciting opportunity to explore alternative and green transport options for our communities. As a county council, we have set out our continued commitment to addressing climate change and transport innovation is a key part of that. To date, the trial has been a great success with our residents. With the expansion of the trial, many more can now benefit from rapid, green, low cost transport as the city recovers.”

Jack Samler, General Manager at Voi UK and Ireland, said: “Since the trial launched in Oxford, over 22,000 rides were taken with Voi scooters in Headington, replacing an estimated 8,950 short car trips. We are delighted to continue to work closely with Oxfordshire County Council to expand our trial into other areas of the city ensuring more people can adopt this safe, fun and environmentally-friendly mode of transport, ditching short car trips, and creating a healthier and better city for all.”

The trial supports a change in how residents can travel, from private vehicles to zero emission forms including cycling, walking and e-scooters and offers a real option for low cost and socially distanced transport, particularly as the pandemic recovery gains pace.

The expansion of the trial will cover an area of the city in the east, including Marston, Cowley, Hinksey, Iffley, Rose Hill, Barton and Florence Park, with the number of scooters set to increase incrementally from 120 to 200.

Rental scooters can use roads and cycle lanes within the trial area but are illegal to use on pavements. The scooters are also tracked by GPS and regularly serviced. In addition, there will be further slow riding, no riding and mandatory parking areas in the expanded trial area to ensure the safety of riders and other road users.

Recently Voi introduced the ‘end of ride photo’ feature which requires users to take a photo of their parked scooter at the end of each ride. Riders who leave e-scooters parked in a way that is obstructing the pavement and causing an obstacle to pedestrians, strollers or wheelchairs, will receive an email with a warning and an educational message. After the first warning, riders who park their vehicles incorrectly will receive a £25 fine.

E-scooter users must be over 18 and hold a provisional or full driving licence. To ride a scooter, users can download the Voi app, available for free on Apple App Store or Google Play and present a valid driving licence. It costs £1 to unlock the scooter and then 20p per minute of the ride. Voi also offers several subscriptions that allow users to take an unlimited number of rides at a fixed rate. The subscriptions can be purchased in the app.

Voi offers special rates for students and those on low incomes and is currently offering free rides to NHS and emergency service staff under the Voi 4 Heroes scheme, which has so far given over 4,580 free rides to over 200 users in Oxford to date.

Voi continues to collaborate with Oxfordshire County Council to support rider education, amongst other things, by offering incentives and encouraging riders to take Voi’s accredited e-scooter digital traffic school which has trained over half a million users to be safe riders. Both partners also ask the public to report any via Voi’s report a scooter page. Voi has a strict three strike policy and reported riders will receive temporary or permanent bans from the service.

The £5.2 million Park and Charge Oxfordshire programme is among the first of its kind in the UK and is being delivered by a consortium of local partners including Oxfordshire County Council and Cherwell District Council. The Bicester site is the first of 24 council-owned car parks to have an EV charging hub installed this year under the scheme.

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Climate Change Delivery and Environment, said: “Interest in electric vehicle ownership is increasing in the county, but one factor holding people back is the inability to easily charge them outside their home, with about 35 per cent of residents having no access to off-street parking. Park and Charge Oxfordshire offers an alternative solution by allowing residents to park for free overnight in council-owned car parks, while giving access to top of the range electric charging points.

“Oxfordshire County Council is committed to going carbon neutral as an authority by 2030 and helping the county to go zero-carbon by 2050 – if not sooner. Innovative schemes like this one will help create the infrastructure that will make it easier for people to make changes to their lifestyles.”

Motorists can park for free overnight and charge up using one of the 12 new ‘fast’ 7-22kw EV charging points, which will also provide much-needed battery top-ups to commuters and visitors during the daytime.

Councillor Dan Sames, Cherwell District Council’s Lead Member for Clean and Green, said: "Bicester is the ideal place to pilot the Park and Charge Oxfordshire scheme. As a garden town, it is home to a number of innovative green tech companies developing cutting edge, sustainable solutions to the climate emergency. It is only by working together, with businesses and residents, that we will be able to hit our ambitious goal of being zero carbon as a district by 2030. Creating a good electrical charging infrastructure is an essential part of that strategy.”

Supporting the creation of green infrastructure, using low-carbon, energy positive technology is a core principle of the Bicester Garden Town project, with Bicester firm Zeta developing a state of the art charger for the scheme.

Zeta is leading the Park and Charge project and will also be running the EV charging service on behalf of the councils under the trading name EZ-Charge. Built with ease of use and reliability in mind, the chargers can be operated by contactless payment, making it simple for EV drivers to ‘tap and go’, with no membership required.

EZ-Charge CEO, Phil Shadbolt, OBE, said: “We are really proud and excited to see our innovative EV chargers finally go live to the public this week – having designed and manufactured them in our Bicester factory, it’s a big moment for us! We hope that the public have a fantastic experience charging in the new Park and Charge hubs, and that having so many reliable and easy to use chargers here in Oxfordshire encourages more residents to make the shift to EV this year.”

A series of events will take place in Cattle Market car park between 7 - 12 June to introduce residents to the scheme and provide EV test drive opportunities. See www.parkandchargeoxfordshire.co.uk for full details.

By 2025, an estimated 25,000 battery electric vehicles will be driven on Oxfordshire’s roads. To meet with this demand, a further 23 car parks have been selected for the project across Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of the White Horse. These will be rolled out later this year.

The Park and Charge Oxfordshire project has been awarded funding from Innovate UK as part of the government’s investment in British engineering to transform electric charging infrastructure. Urban Integrated UK, the University of Oxford, West Oxfordshire District Council, South Oxfordshire District Council and the Vale of the White Horse District Council are also all supporting the scheme.

On Tuesday 16 March 2021, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet adopted the Oxfordshire EV infrastructure strategy (OEVIS) that sets out key actions to allow more drivers to go electric by 2025.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The government has proposed an end to the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, and so comprehensive, accessible and efficient infrastructure is essential if we want people to ditch fossil fuels and move towards EVs.

“This strategy has been a truly collaborative piece of work involving our county, city and district councils, and is among the first of its kind in the country. It will put Oxfordshire in a strong position to ensure that anyone wishing to buy an EV will have access to convenient charging facilities – a vital factor for anyone considering switching from petrol or diesel.”

EV sales in Oxfordshire are expected to rise faster than the national average, with Oxford University researchers predicting that by 2025 there could be more than 25,000 EVs on the county’s roads – a figure that could rise to 44,000 by 2027.

Localised measures such as the zero emission zone pilot, starting in parts of Oxford city centre in August 2021, and the fact that between 30 and 40 per cent of households across the county are unable to install their own EV charger as they have no off-road parking, highlight the need for EV charging infrastructure.

As well as helping residents, the OEVIS will also focus on the needs of local businesses and their employees, taxis, logistics operations, car clubs and visitors to Oxford.

One of the aims is to convert at least 7.5 per cent of council-managed car park spaces for EV charging by 2025. Other objectives for this period include:

• Enabling and delivering public EV charging strategically across Oxfordshire.
• Adopting a common approach to managing EV charging in council car parks.
• Enabling residents without access to private off-road parking to access a range of options for EV charging.
• Encouraging new developments to install high-quality EV charging infrastructure.
• Setting standards for the quality of public EV charging in Oxfordshire to make sure it is high quality, open, accessible and future-proofed.
• Working with partners to encourage other landowners to install EV charging infrastructure for businesses, residents and other users.

Encouraging drivers to switch from petrol or diesel to EV will improve local air quality through reduced exhaust emissions and help decarbonise transport, as energy generation progresses from fossil fuels to renewable sources. The strategy also ties in with the declaration of a climate emergency by all of Oxfordshire’s councils, and Oxfordshire County Council’s aim to make the county zero-carbon by 2050.

Having a strategy in place for the county is also expected to lead to continued success when it comes to attracting government funding and private investment for EV charging projects. In the past five years, millions of pounds have come into the county for schemes such as:

• Go Ultra Low Oxford – On Street Project to look into roadside charging technologies.
• Go Ultra Low Taxi, exploring rapid EV charging infrastructure for taxis in Oxford City.
• Park and Charge Oxfordshire, which is setting up EV charging hubs at council car parks around the county.

Oxfordshire County Council cut its own corporate carbon emissions by eight per cent from April 2019 to March 2020, beating its target of six per cent. The replacement of boilers and streetlighting with more energy-efficient models, the installation of solar panels and the purchase of more electric vehicles were all factors in the reduction.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet member for Environment, said: “We made a promise last year to put climate action at the heart of everything we do, and these figures show we are delivering on that promise. The measures put in place mean 1,132 tonnes of carbon dioxide have been saved from ending up in the atmosphere.

“We are committed to becoming a carbon neutral council by 2030. We are making wide-ranging changes to the way we work and also laying the groundwork for Oxfordshire to go zero-carbon by 2050 by delivering infrastructure, forming partnerships for joint action.”

Oxfordshire County Council declared a climate emergency in April 2019 and developed a Climate Action Framework in 2020 to set out how to achieve its net-zero goals.

One of the key projects is the programme to replace the county’s streetlights with highly efficient, environmentally friendly LED (light-emitting diode) alternatives. Scheduled to take four years to complete, the county council is investing £40 million over this period, which also includes upgrading columns – but is expecting it to lead to savings of more than £75m over the next 20 years.

The move will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by 70 per cent. Currently, the county’s street lights account for around 7,596 tonnes of CO2 every year – representing nearly 35 per cent of the council’s own operational emissions.

More than 2,800 streetlights were replaced in 2019/20, saving 245,109 kWh of electricity, and helping the council to exceed its emissions target for those 12 months.

And last week, a lighting upgrade project started at the county council’s park-and-rides at Thornhill and Oxford Parkway. It will introduce high-efficiency LED lighting technology with units pre-programmed to dim 50 per cent at night, increasing savings even further. And because they don’t need to warm up to reach full light capacity, they can be switched on slightly later – saving of 31 tonnes of CO2 a year and reducing energy usage by 70 per cent.

There will be no loss in quality as the new lighting will also be more clearly directed towards brightening both sites to help users feel safer and result in lower surrounding light pollution.

Jason Russell, Oxfordshire County Council’s Interim Director of Communities, said: “The decade to 2030 has been called ‘the decade of action’ against climate change. While it is true that over the next nine years remaining emissions will become progressively harder to eliminate, we are making substantial progress by taking early action to reduce energy consumption. This will maximise savings and help future-proof our services, assets and investments.”

The Climate Action Framework is affecting all aspects of council policy and responsibility, including:

• Replacing its fleet with electric vehicles (EVs) and creating more EV charging points.
• Generating its own clean power and buying from green energy sources.
• Seeing what services can be delivered digitally.
• Promoting active travel such as walking and cycling.
• Reducing its demand for energy.
• Setting sustainability standards for its suppliers.
• Helping schools meet their low-carbon targets.
• Maximising waste reduction and recycling.

In the recent consultation, which took place between Tuesday 7 January until Friday 31 January, Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council asked members of the public to provide their views on the final draft proposals for the Red Zone of Oxford Zero Emission Zone.

The councils were looking for feedback on the level the charges are set at, whether the discounts are appropriate, the suggested hours of operation for the charging scheme, what future phases of the Zero Emission Zone should include, and when they should be implemented.

In 2017, both councils announced joint proposals to introduce a Zero Emission Zone in Oxford, which would see a historic reduction in air pollution levels. More than 750 residents and businesses took part in a six-week public consultation on the proposals in late 2017, with about 70% of respondents backing a phased approach to the ZEZ.

The consultation responses will inform a formal consultation on the Red Zone ZEZ, and the formulation of the legal order required to bring the zone into force.

The key points of the latest proposals were:

• The introduction of a charging scheme in the Red Zone between 7am-7pm, with a £10 charge for non-compliant vehicles entering the zone.
• Discounts for all blue badge holders entering the zone until at least December 2024.
• Exemptions for vehicles registered to businesses in the Red Zone until December 2024, followed by a discount until December 2030.
• A 90% discount for residents living in the zone until December 2030.
• Buses and Oxford licensed Hackney Carriages which drive within the planned Zero Emission have already agreed timelines for zero emissions fleets across Oxford and are subject to other interim emission requirements.

Next steps

Formal consultation on the Red Zone ZEZ scheme will start in March 2020.

Both councils will be making a formal decision on implementation in the spring, which could mean the scheme coming into effect in December 2020.

If approved, the Oxford Zero Emission Zone could begin in December 2020, with a wider Green Zone, covering the rest of the city centre, proposed for introduction in 2021/22.

Councillor Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council, said:

“I would like to thank everyone who shared their views on the final draft proposals for the Oxford Zero Emission Zone. The continued engagement and passion around the proposals continues to motivate us in our goal to tackle Oxford’s toxic air pollution. Over the coming weeks, we will be listening to the feedback from this consultation to make the Oxford Zero Emission Zone both fair and effective.”

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“Tackling air pollution and climate change is a great priority for Oxfordshire County Council and I would like to thank those that responded to our survey on the Red Zone. Not only will this project make a difference to the quality of life and health of people living and working in the city centre, we are showing that it is possible as we start to respond seriously with climate action. We can look forward to a city that will be a healthier and cleaner place for all. We will now look carefully at the views of the public, residents and other stakeholders who submitted their views on the proposals in our survey."

The development comes after the Department for Transport announced that applications for local authorities to become the first all-electric bus town have now opened. The winning town will receive up to £50 million to help pay for a brand-new fleet of electric buses, which aims to reduce emissions in the community.

The All-Electric Bus Town proposal will aim to act as a pilot to understand what can be achieved when there is a real commitment to move all buses in a place to electric propulsion. It will also aim to better understand the challenges of running a wholly electric bus fleet including running cost data. The information learned will help to support bus manufacturers in the development of zero emission buses in the future.

The £50 million government fund is part of a total £170 million allocated to improve services and make bus journeys greener, easier and more reliable. This commitment is said to mark the next step in delivering the Department for Transport’s £220 million package to overhaul bus services across England. The funding also comes within the framework of a new national bus strategy.

The councils will also be applying for a £20 million fund from the £170 million to encourage the development and trial of on-demand ride sharing services in rural and suburban areas, helping people to plan their journeys down to the minute. The fund will boost traditional services by helping people use bus travel to get closer to where they live, at a time that is convenient for them.

The All-Electric Bus Town fund will take the form of a two-stage competition. Submissions for the first phase opened on 6^th February and closes at the end of April. The government will then draw up a shortlist of applicants that will be considered in Phase 2 which will conclude in Autumn 2020.

The funding bid comes at a time when both councils have announced radical plans to introduce a Zero Emissions Zone within the city as well as expanding bus services across the eastern side of Oxford with the Connecting Oxford plan. The support offered by this bid would be a significant boost to helping reduce emissions across the city from public transport.

In the past two years, Oxford City Council has also secured £2.3 million of funding to upgrade the city’s buses and reduce toxic air pollution from the Government’s Clean Bus Technology Fund. The funding will assist in the upgrade of 115 of the city’s buses to Euro 6 standard and an additional five buses to electric to help reduce air pollution.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for the Environment said:

“The funding bid comes at a time when our councils are determined to take concerted climate action to cut vehicle air pollution and expand the provision of bus services with our Connecting Oxford plan. Funding to support the launch of electric buses in Oxford is a clear sign of our commitment to offer our residents a clean and environmentally sustainable future.”

Councillor Tom Hayes, Oxford City Council Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford:

“Oxford has successfully brought in significant investment to speed up our journey to zero. I am looking forward to working with the County Council and bus companies on this bid to help clean up our air and protect people’s health.

“In Oxford we have seen a drop in harmful nitrogen dioxide levels by an average of 22.7% because of the introduction of ultra-low emission buses. We need to go further and faster and Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone will be the city’s next step to achieve further drops. With Oxford launching the UK’s first city centre Zero Emission Zone in December this year, this funding is crucial to see more electric buses on our roads.”

Phil Southall Oxford Bus Company Managing Director said:

“We welcome this positive commitment from government as stronger bus networks are key to reducing congestion and emissions. We look forward to examining this opportunity with our local authorities and establishing whether we can unlock vital funding to support the vision for a cleaner Oxford via electric technology. Key is building a compelling business case for funding will be all stakeholders committing to improving journey times and growing patronage together.”

Chris Coleman, Managing Director of Stagecoach Oxfordshire said:

“Buses have a key role to play in boosting the region’s air quality, as well as addressing damaging congestion, growing our economy and bringing communities together. This is therefore an important opportunity for the key stakeholders in Oxford to work collaboratively to secure this funding.”

The trial is thought to be the first on-street charging pilot of its size in the world, and the University of Oxford has described the project as having “global scientific significance”.

It will see six different charging technologies installed – ranging from cable gullies to retrofitting lamp posts with charging stations – with the aim of finding the best solutions for Oxford residents.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Oxfordshire County Council Leader, said: “We are committed to working with partners to facilitate the transition to a low emission fleet in Oxford and Oxfordshire. This is a great project and a great example of using Oxford as a ‘living lab’ to get new ideas on the ground fast to benefit residents.

“The pilot element of the project is a learning experience - identifying the best charging solutions for different situations and locations and using our assets in better, smarter ways will help minimise costs. We hope to take what we have learnt from this project and look at how we can support on street charging across the whole of Oxfordshire.”

Dr Tim Schwanen, Director of University of Oxford’s Transport Studies Unit, said: "The project has global scientific significance because we know surprisingly little about how electric vehicle users and local communities adapt to new charging infrastructure, especially if this is provided on residential streets where availability of a parking space is not guaranteed."

Currently, residents who own electric vehicles and have on-street parking in Oxford’s narrow terraced streets struggle to charge their cars.

The first phase of the project will see 30 charging stations installed. Ten of these will be available for the general public, 10 for Co-wheels Car Club vehicles, and the remaining for individual households.

Installation of the charging stations will begin this month (August) and they will be ready for residents and the general public to use in October 2017. The trial will last for 12 months.

The best solutions from the trial will then be rolled out in approximately 100 sites across Oxford’s residential streets. This is expected to happen in 2018.

Oxford City Council chose the locations after calling for Oxford residents who either owned or wanted to own an electric vehicle to come forward. These 20 volunteers will provide feedback on the chargers as part of the trial.

Download app to locate chargers

The network of public chargers will be managed by NewMotion, a Dutch company that brings a wealth of experience from the Netherlands to support the project.

People who wish to use the public chargers can apply to NewMotion for a free charge card and download the NewMotion app for real-time information on where chargers are available.

Co-wheels Car Club plans to introduce 10 new electric cars in Oxford from this autumn, and will use the new charging points to power them. Alongside the project volunteers, Co-Wheels Car Club will also collect feedback on the chargers.

The resident feedback on the charging stations will be collated and analysed by researchers from the University of Oxford’s Transport Studies Unit (TSU). The results will then be fed back to the Government to inform national and local authority investment in charging stations in the future. The findings will also be shared with the global research community through publications in peer-reviewed academic journals.

Renewable energy company Good Energy will provide power to the public chargers from its network of solar, hydro, wind and biofuel generators. This means electric vehicles using the public charging points will be run entirely on renewable energy.

Private chargers will be run from the residents’ own energy supply.

Oxford City Council, which is managing the project, is working in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council on the scheme.

The project, called Go Ultra Low Oxford (GULO), has been made possible after the City Council and County Council secured an £800,000 grant from the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

The Government set up the £40m Go Ultra Low Cities scheme to encourage thousands of people to consider switching to an electric car.

The aim of Go Ultra Low Oxford is to reduce air pollution in the city and further lower the city’s carbon emissions by giving more people the option of driving and owning electric vehicles.

Although work by the City Council and County Council has helped reduce air pollution by an average of 36.9 per cent in the last decade, nitrogen dioxide levels are still above the legal limit in some areas of Oxford.

In July, Oxford City Council joined leaders from cities across England to criticise the Government’s Clean Air Plan, and called for Secretary of State Michael Gove to do more to crack down on polluting vehicles.

Air pollution is estimated to cause 40,000 deaths a year in the UK, according to a report from the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Councillor John Tanner, City Council Executive Board Member for a Clean and Green Oxford, said: “I’m thrilled that Oxford City Council is leading the delivery of the Go Ultra Low Oxford Project with Oxfordshire County Council.

“This Government-funded project is tackling a real issue for many Oxford residents who would like to drive electric, but can’t have a charger at home because they have no driveway.

“By 2027 more people could be buying electric cars than petrol or diesel, and our project will help us prepare for this future.”

Richard Falconer, Managing Director of Co-wheels Car Club, said: “There is a lot of interest from our Oxford members to have more electric vehicles on our fleet so this project is a brilliant opportunity.

“Many Co-wheels members don’t want to add another car to our busy roads and would rather use a shared vehicle when they really need one, now they have the option to reduce the impact on our environment even more by using a zero emission car.”

Notes to editors

Further information on the Go Ultra Low Oxford project – including the locations of the new chargers – can be found at www.goultralowoxford.org.

NewMotion charge cards can be applied for at https://newmotion.com/en/products/charge-card.

The NewMotion app can be downloaded at https://newmotion.com/en/products/public-charge-app.

Co-wheels Car Club is an award-winning social enterprise working to develop and improve access to more sustainable car use for communities across the UK. People can join the car club at www.co-wheels.org.uk.

The companies and technologies being trialled in Oxford are:

• Bicester-based company Zeta Specialist Lighting produces extremely slim-line charging posts (130mm wide), perfect for installing on some of Oxford’s narrow footways.

• Ubitricity provide a ‘simple socket’, which can be fitted to lamp columns. These can only be used with a smart cable, which activates the socket, calculates the energy used and communicates remotely with the Ubitricity billing system to charge customers for their share of the energy used.

• Evolt provide:

  • A smart charging unit which can be attached to lamp columns – this can be used with any cable, and communicates directly with the billing system.

  • A smart double-charging post, capable of charging two cars in three to four hours.

  • A home charging system paired with a cable channel which will keep home-charging cables safely tucked into the pavement and allow residents to use their own home energy supply for charging.

• Franklin Energy and Ensto provides a slim-line smart double charging post which can charge two vehicles at the same time while managing the energy demand on the electrical grid.