ELECTRIC vehicle users can look forward to faster charging times at Warrington West train station from next month.
The borough council is partnering with Zest– who also provide the charging infrastructure at Time Square multi-storey car park – to install new, faster electric vehicle (EV) charging points at Warrington West station.
There will be a significant upgrade to the previous charging infrastructure at the station, which operated at 3.5kw. The upgrade will boost this to 7kw, effectively halving charging times for EV users.
The council is also working with Zest to future-proof the site by installing cabling and chargers capable of supporting up to 22kw charging in the future. This will accommodate increasing EV adoption and advancements in charging technology, such as more EVs being able to charge at higher AC rates.
In addition to the speed enhancements, the project will also improve accessibility. The layout of the charging bays will be reconfigured to include four standard accessible EV charging bays and two dedicated disabled EV charging bays.
Warrington Borough Council leader and cabinet member for transport, Cllr Hans Mundry, said: “This project is part of our ongoing work to deliver high quality EV charging infrastructure across Warrington – in our car parks, and on-street. It’s about investing in sustainable transport, supporting EV drivers and removing barriers for people looking to make the switch.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Zest, to deliver the new, faster charge points at Warrington West train station. These improvements will make a real difference to EV users, providing with them with a more convenient, accessible way to charge their vehicles while using the station.”
Robin Heap, CEO at Zest, said: “Zest’s aim is to deploy quality facilities that provide a high availability and convenient service for commuters and other rail users alike. Delivering and operating chargers in locations that naturally fit with everyday life is the key to making the switch to EV even easier; drivers must have absolute certainty that they can access the services that they need to go about their daily lives.”
As part of the changes, a tariff of 20p per kwh – consistent with the rate at Time Square car park – will be implemented.
There will be no EV charging facilities in operation at Warrington West station until the upgrade works are completed, in early March. The council apologises for this short-term disruption.
