More electric car chargers have been introduced across Council car parks in the borough. People with electric or hybrid vehicles can now charge up in five different car parks in Blackburn and Darwen. New EV (electric vehicle) charging points have been installed in Brown Street Car Park in Blackburn, Varley Street Car Park in Darwen and Weir Street Car Park in Blackburn.

This is part of Blackburn with Darwen Council’s efforts to combat climate change, and earlier this month it passed a motion to declare a climate emergency at a Council Forum meeting. This committed the Council to a target of making Blackburn with Darwen carbon neutral by 2030, taking into account both production and consumption emissions. The Council also has an electric van in its fleet of vehicles, used in the environmental crime team, and hope to add to this in the future. All the car parks have two EV 22kWh fast sockets each, making it easy for people who have switched to the eco-friendly mode of transport.

They join the existing 22kWh EV charging points at Feilden Street Car Park and Darwen Market Rooftop Car Park, supporting the growing population of plug-in cars in the area. There are currently over 100 in the borough and over 1,000 in surrounding areas.

To get a charging card please go to the Swarcoeconnect card at https://www.swarcoeconnect.org/

Further EV chargers will also be available at the Reel Cinema development on the site of the former Waves Centre when it is completed in 2020.
Parking continues to be free for electric and hybrid vehicle drivers while charging at Council car parks.

Councillor Phil Riley, Executive Member for Growth and Development, said: All Council-run car parks now have electric vehicle chargers which is a great move forward for a greener and more environmentally-friendly future. Electric car use is growing across the borough and this shows that Blackburn with Darwen welcomes electric and hybrid car users and they can now visit the borough knowing they can charge up wherever they go.”
Stuart Scott, former Council employee, who has an electric car, said:
I’ve had an electric car for just over two years, and chargers like this make it even easier to come into Blackburn and Darwen, knowing I can charge up at all these car parks.

This easy way of charging is an added bonus to the environmental aspects, and helps me do my bit in a small way to add to the green benefits.”