Following a successful trial last year, 60 charging units have been installed into existing lampposts on streets that are close to residents who requested them. This is the first large-scale roll out of the space-saving charging units in the borough with the aim of making it easier and quicker for drivers of electric vehicles and encourage more to swap their petrol and diesel cars.

The project is part funded through a grant from the Go Ultra Low Cities Scheme which is a joint initiative between London Councils, Transport for London and the Greater London Authority. It aims to provide a smart charging solution to residents without access to off-street parking to charge their vehicles more efficiently in the borough.

Islington Council’s executive member for environment & transport, Cllr Claudia Webbe, said: “We are determined to tackle the dangers of air pollution, it’s a matter of life or death. We will do everything in our powers to find the right solutions for Islington and London as a whole; using the latest technology these innovative new electric charge points using the borough’s existing lampposts are a key part of our vision for a greener, cleaner, safer borough.

“Cleaning up the air in Islington is a priority for the council and residents I speak to every day, to achieve this we must move away from toxic polluting vehicles and make it practical for people to recharge an electric vehicle if they lack off-street parking. It’s great that we’ve been able to make use of existing infrastructure, to reduce street clutter and make it easier than ever to charge electric cars in Islington.”

Locations of the new lamppost charging points are:

•  Barnsbury Road
•  Clephane Road
•  Cross Street
•  Hazellville Road
•  Lever Street
•  Liverpool Road – a cluster of 18 installed because the lampposts are technically suitable and there were a number of requests from local residents
•  Nightingale Road
•  Packington Street
•  Tufnell Park

The council intends to roll out more lamppost charging points each year to keep pace with the growing number of electric vehicles.

The charging points are being maintained and operated by Siemens and Ubitricity. To use the lamppost charging points drivers have two simple options.  Use a standard charging cable and scan a QR code which is on the column, or alternatively purchase a SmartCable with an energy account.  The SmartCable is completely plug & play, provides cheaper charging tariffs as well the possibility of future choice regarding energy supplier and the range of tariffs available.

The council has been working on an ambitious series of initiatives to promote sustainable, healthier forms of transport. The lamppost chargers are amongst the first of its type and will be central to the next phase of Islington’s electric charging network improving air quality in the borough.

More information about charging points and the free residents permits available for zero emission electric vehicles can be found here: www.islington.gov.uk/roads/electric-vehicles

Also visit https://www.ubitricity.co.uk/residential_charging/how-to-charge/ for more information on the new Ubitricity lampposts.