Hertfordshire County Council has partnered with Zest to deliver more than 1,000 public EV chargers across the borough and district councils of North Hertfordshire, St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield.
The county has been divided into areas to help support a smooth rollout and create clear, manageable networks for each charge point operator (CPO). Zest are one of three providers who will be delivering EV charging within Hertfordshire.
The partnership will see significant investment from Zest, supported by £1.8 million from the central Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, to deliver a comprehensive charging network designed to make switching to EVs convenient and equitable for residents across Hertfordshire, particularly those without off-street parking.
Zest will deploy a mix of on-street charging solutions, ensuring residents can access reliable charging close to where they live, work and visit. Locations will be prioritised to support residential areas and communities that have been previously underserved by public EV charging infrastructure.
Under the agreement, Zest will fund, operate and maintain the network over the next 15 years at no cost to the council or residents, creating a scalable infrastructure platform that can grow in line with increasing EV adoption.
Works on the first chargers are expected to begin later this year, with initial sites selected to maximise accessibility and deliver early benefits to residents.
EV drivers can easily find Zest EV chargers in the Zapmap app by using the network filter, where live status and availability information for every one of Zest's chargers is shared 24 hours a day.
Mark Doran, Executive Director of Growth and Environment, Hertfordshire County Council, said:
"Expanding access to on-street EV charging is a key step in supporting residents to make the switch to electric vehicles. We know that lack of access to home charging can be a barrier for many people, particularly those without driveways.
“This programme will help address that by providing reliable, convenient charging options closer to where people live. It also supports our commitment to growing a greener Hertfordshire by reducing emissions, enabling more sustainable journeys across the county, and helping residents transition away from reliance on petrol and diesel at a time when fuel prices and wider cost‑of‑living pressures continue to impact household budgets.”
Robin Heap, CEO of Zest, said:
“Forward-thinking councils like Hertfordshire County Council are helping to accelerate the shift to electric vehicles. By combining focused public funding with significant private investment, this partnership will deliver a dependable charging network for communities across the county.
“Zest works with more than 30 public sector organisations across the UK, and through our partnership with Hertfordshire, we are looking forward to supporting the county in delivering infrastructure that will benefit residents for many years to come, ensuring that access to EV charging is not determined by where people live of whether they have a driveway.”
