A SMALL-SCALE pilot project for the installation of on-street electric vehicle charging points has been touted for the town of Ennis.
Role of local authorities across the country in the development of EV charging points has been identified by the County and City Management Association (CCMA). The recommended starting point is a strategy and an assessment of optimal locations for charging points within its county boundaries.
Senior executive engineer with Clare County Council, Anne O’Sullivan confirmed that work is ongoing on Clare’s EV and EV charging point strategy which has been out for public consultation and is due to be published in the third quarter of this year. She stated, “Through the development of the EV & EVCP Strategy for County Clare an assessment of the need for the infrastructure will be carried out. This will include mapping existing charger locations, examining current usage, modelling likely demand, drafting design for on-street chargers and how the rollout should be achieved”.
Stakeholders including ESB Networks, EV charging companies, retail providers, car park owners have been spoken to as part of the preparation of the strategy.
In response to a motion from Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) seeking information on roll-out plans for charging points throughout the Ennis Municipal District, Ms O’Sullivan outlined, “It is anticipated that a small-scale pilot project for the installation of on street chargers will commence in 2022 subject to funding availability”.
Electric cars do not have to pay for parking when they are being charged, it emerged at Tuesday’s meeting of the Ennis Municipal District following questioning from Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG). “There is a concern for the sector if people are using the public parking spaces to park for free,” he remarked.
Senior executive officer in the Ennis MD, Leonore O’Neill confirmed that within the existing by-laws when a person is charging their vehicle “there is no parking fee applicable”. She explained that the matter would be addressed in the upcoming by-laws which are under review, “the development of the existing bylaws will be fundamental to charging people for use of parking spaces within bylaws”.
Absence of a single charging point in East Clare from Ennis to Portumna and back towards to Nenagh has previously been labelled by Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) as “an awful indictment”. Officials in the Killaloe Municipal District have said “worthwhile” locations to consider the installation have been uncovered in Killaloe.
