Car travel is being brought right up to date in an area of Derby renowned for its links with the city’s Roman past.
Residents in Chester Green who do not have access to off-street parking will now be able to charge their electric vehicles at ten new chargers located in the Darley Playing Fields car park on Old Chester Road, a former Roman road.
Work to install three 50kW dual rapid chargers and two 7kW dual fast chargers began last week, with the new chargers expected to be fully operational by the end of July 2024. Each charger allows two electric powered vehicles to be plugged in at once, allowing up to ten cars to be charged in the car park.
Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability said:
The Romans brought civilised roads to Derby, paving the way towards making transport accessible for all. Now we’re taking what they started to the next level, to give today’s residents greater choices when it comes to choosing how to travel.
From January to March this year, 114,000 plug-in vehicles were registered for the first time in the UK, which shows us that more and more drivers are choosing to switch to plug-in vehicles. Most of the homes in Chester Green do not have access to off-street parking so the installation of these ten chargers will allow these residents to charge their electric vehicle close to home.
Schemes like these are key to us delivering an effective and sustainable transport network for Derby that is fit for a future that will continue to be dominated by climate change.
The area is the site of the former Roman settlement, Derventio, which dates back to AD69-70. Due to the historical significance of the site, Historic England has been involved since the start of the project and an archaeologist will be on site whilst the works take place, should any historical artefacts be uncovered.
Excavations last took place in the area in 1980 when the Darley Park Playing Fields changing rooms were built, during which two square sectioned Roman wells were found. Pottery was also uncovered, ranging from the second to the nineteenth century.
Earlier this year, Midlands Connect – the region’s sub-national transport body – reported that Derby and Derbyshire will see a 440% increase in uptake in electric vehicles by the end of 2030, with projections predicting an increase from around 12,000 EVs to more than 65,000 on our roads by the end of 2030. The installation of these chargers is the latest in a series of schemes to increase Derby’s electric vehicle infrastructure within the city.
The works are funded by the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund. Back in 2020, Nottingham City and Derby City Councils successfully secured £161 million to invest in local transport infrastructure that will improve sustainable transport, support growth, and encourage more low-carbon journeys.
The chargers are being installed and operated by BP Pulse. More information about public charging prices can be found on the BP Pulse website.