The first of what it is hoped will be many electric vehicle charge points at village halls across Norfolk is set to be officially switched on this week in Dickleburgh near Diss. The new ‘Fast’ 7.2kW chargers have been installed as part of the County Council’s Electric Vehicle Strategy, approved in autumn 2021, which aims to help remove some of the barriers to electric vehicle usage in the county. Cllr Martin Wilby, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Transport, said: “I hope this will be a blueprint for other similar schemes right across the county as we are looking to support the rollout of publicly accessible electric charging points to meet both current and future demand. Alongside our plans to improve bus services and boost active travel, such as cycling and walking, this is one of the key ways that we can help reduce carbon emissions in Norfolk.” This is the first scheme funded by Norfolk County Council, through money allocated by the local county councillor as part of their Local Member Highway Fund. Cllr Barry Duffin, County Councillor for West Depwade, which includes Dickleburgh, said: “It’s great to see this innovative scheme spark so much interest. I’m proud that Dickleburgh is ahead of the game and it’s been wonderful to work closely with the Parish Council and highway officers to get this up and running.” The brand-new facility at The Centre at Dickleburgh will be able to charge three cars at one time. Terry Clarkson, Chairman of the Village Centre Management Committee, said: “We have been campaigning to add electric car chargers to the Village Centre for a few years now. We recognised there was a real need to create these points in order to encourage electric car use and to further push the green agenda in Norfolk. We are delighted to be the first parish in Norfolk to install car chargers through this scheme.”
