Over 800 electric vehicle charge sockets will begin to be installed in the borough of Blackburn with Darwen from next year, following a successful bid for funding.
In 2023 the UK government announced the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, to support local authorities in England to plan and deliver charge point infrastructure for residents without off-street parking.
In many residential areas in Blackburn with Darwen, private driveways are not available, making it harder for residents to charge electric vehicles near to their home. To support those communities, the council applied for funding and was successful, securing £1.6 million for on street public charge points.
Work has since begun by the council on creating new parking bays in locations highlighted by the Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen EV Infrastructure Strategy to facilitate electric vehicle charging. Wherever possible, sites for new charging bays have been selected to minimise disruption for residents, for example, by choosing the gable end of streets where no parking currently exists or disused areas of land.
The charging points themselves will be installed and managed by an external operator.
The council went out to tender in January 2025 to procure the operator on a 15-year contract, with Connected Kerb emerging as the successful bidder. Work is due to begin in January 2026, making this one the first LEVI contracts within the Northwest to reach the mobilisation phase.
Alongside the LEVI funding, private investment from Connected Kerb will fund the installation of 826 new EV charge sockets across Blackburn, Darwen, and the surrounding rural areas that lack off-street parking.
All of Connected Kerb's charge points can be found on the Zapmap app and web map, with every charge point showing live status as well as availability information. Payment for charging with Connected Kerb can also be made directly in the app, or with the Zapmap charging card.
Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, Keri Mather said:
"We’re investing £1.6 million to rollout over 800 chargers in Blackburn with Darwen, making it easier than ever to charge up on the go – part of our £381 million drive to install over 100,000 chargers across the country.
"Alongside boosting charging infrastructure we’re also tackling upfront costs when buying an EV with £1.3bn announced at the Budget to extend the Electric Car Grant to 2030 – saving drivers up to £3,750 off a range of new EVs."
Councillor Quesir Mahmood, Executive Member for Growth and Development at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said:
"This is a huge opportunity for members of the community who may have considered owning an electric vehicle but haven’t been able to, because the necessary charging infrastructure isn’t available to them.
"By securing LEVI funding, we can help residents and visitors in areas who only have the option to park on the street, without affecting existing parking spaces.
"With the government now making it law for all new vehicles to be zero emission by 2035, these charging points will allow our residents to get on the front foot."
Connected Kerb already operates over 6,000 charge points across the UK. Built to support smart charging, they help drivers save money and reduce carbon emissions by charging when electricity is cheaper.
Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb said:
"We’re proud to partner with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council on one of the North West’s first LEVI projects to reach mobilisation.
"Delivering over 800 new sockets will significantly expand charging access across the borough and ensure residents have the reliable infrastructure they need to make the shift to zero-emission transport."
It’s anticipated that from early 2026, the first electric vehicle charging points installed will be available for anyone to use.
