Surrey County Council and Connected Kerb, a charge point provider, have announced a plan to install 10,000 new public chargers across the country by 2030. This move is set to boost the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network and it represents the largest roll out of on-street charging by a local authority.

The £60 million project will be funded by Connected Kerb, which will charge drivers for using its devices. The CEO of Connected Kerb,Chris Pateman-Jones, said that if one local authority can deliver such a significant boost to the UK’s charging network, every city, county, and combined authority can empower themselves to do the same. He believes that local authorities can become the driving force behind the rollout of charging infrastructure across the country.

Connected Kerb's annual report, 'Sustainable Mobility For Everyone', highlights inclusivity and accessibility as central to its strategy, ensuring equal access to reliable charging in all regions, both urban and rural. The report also outlines all deals secured by the company in 2022, which has grown its total network to 1,700 public charging points at over 550 locations across the UK.

According to Matt Furniss, Surrey County Council's cabinet member for transport, “High-quality and reliable charging infrastructure is critical for accelerating the uptake of electric vehicles across the county and serving all local towns in the region”. Surrey County Council has committed to being a carbon net-zero county by 2050, and supporting residents to switch to electric vehicles is a significant part of achieving the net-zero goals.