Maitland City Council has recently secured $60,600 in grant funding to broaden its network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.
Ten car spaces at four Council owned sites across the Maitland local government area – Thornton Library, Gillieston Heights Community Hub, The Levee Central Maitland and Maitland Town Hall – will be fitted with EV charging stations as a result of the funding, which was awarded under round two of the Drive Electric NSW EV Destination Charging Grants program.
The project’s total cost of $101,000 will see the NSW Government funding complemented by $40,400in Council funds.
Maitland City Council General Manager Jeff Smith said the project showed Council was ‘serious about expanding and improving the electric vehicle charging network across Maitland.’
‘At present, Maitland’s capacity to attract EV drivers is limited, so Council is joining local businesses, shopping centres and clubs to invest in charging facilities in key locations,’ Jeff said.
‘Uptake of EVs is increasing rapidly across New South Wales, and we have to keep pace with that growth; this is an exciting next step on that journey, building upon the existing Council chargers serving four car spaces at Harold Gregson Reserve.
‘Since commissioning in December 2023 these chargers have already been used 530 times, or about twice a day on average.
‘We expect this usage will ramp up as the community become more aware of the site and as EV ownership continues to grow in Maitland.’
Mr Smith said the project aligned with Maitland Council’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2030, which outlines 13 key targets for a more sustainable Maitland, ‘one of which is to increase active and sustainable transport opportunities, which includes the introduction of new infrastructure that supports electric vehicles.’
The operating model for Council’s network of EV charging stations, including parking signage and selection of appropriate fees for charging will be confirmed through a report to Council prior to the chargers becoming operational in early 2025.
IMAGE | General Manager Jeff Smith and Manager Environment and Sustainability Catherine Pepper
