Local authority news NEPPs new website The North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) has launched a website highlighting information and support about parking across the area. A key feature of the new site is the improved navigation and usability, as a result of the addition of a search-bar function and a clearer, more userfriendly layout. The news and service updates will now have individual pages per article, making it easier to find important information. There will also be a new look for the operational and annual reports, which will be hosted on the website to improve usability and accessibility To view the new website, visit north.parkingpartnership.org Cumbrias plan In response to public consultations, Cumbria County Council has published its Cumbria Transport Infrastructure Plan (CTIP) 2022-2037. The CTIP was developed by the council and Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, and describes the role of transportation and connectivity in supporting sustainable and inclusive growth in the county. View the plan at bit.ly/PNApr22CTP Visions for Northolt Ealing Council is encouraging Northolt residents and businesses to get involved in the next stage of the areas regeneration programme, Visions for Northolt. The council and Transport for London successfully secured funding of around 7.2m that will be used to address issues identified by local people, such as easing congestion, improving road safety and addressing air quality. Councillor Deirdre Costigan, Northolts deputy leader and cabinet member for climate action, said: Whats come across to us from local people is that theres an urgent need to make a number of changes, such as addressing poor connectivity, congestion, road safety and air quality, and improving routes for pedestrians and cyclists. Updates from councils across the UK New plans for EV chargers Electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in Waltham Forest, West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire is set for a significant boost with the installation of new EV chargepoints, owned and operated by Liberty Charge and delivered via its strategic partner Virgin Media O2. In Waltham Forest, following an initial rollout in March 2021, 76 new sockets were added in February this year, to bring the total to 96 sockets across 32 sites. Meanwhile, a partnership between two Northamptonshire councils has led to the provision of 82 residential, onstreet EV charging sockets across seven locations in West Northamptonshire, and seven in North Northamptonshire. Liberty Charge is responsible for the charging infrastructures operation and maintenance, and the councils have no liabilities for infrastructure, power or maintenance. Having a fully funded model is a huge advantage to us as a local authority, said Cllr Clyde Loakes, Waltham Forest Councils deputy leader and cabinet member for the environment. Councillor Graham Lawman, North Northamptonshire Councils executive member for highways, travel and assets, agreed: The liability, risk and hassle is taken away from us. Only about nine per cent of EVs are owned by people with no off-street parking, so it is vital that we progress kerbside charging to give all drivers the opportunity to charge their cars locally to them and overnight. In Oxfordshire, 30 EV owners have been trialling a new project that enables people without off-street parking to charge their cars at home. The Gul-e scheme provides a secure and durable cable gully, or channel, that is seamlessly installed into the pavement so that cables do not cause a trip hazard. To charge their EV, the user parks in front of their home, inserts the charging cable into the Gul-e and plugs the vehicle into their household energy supply. Funding for the project was awarded by the governments Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and Innovate UK. If successful, it is hoped the Gul-e scheme will be opened up to other local authorities across the UK. Colchester car park upgrade Colchester Borough Council has undertaken work in its St Marys car park as part of a larger investment project to improve the facility. The car park now boasts wider entrance and exit lanes, the ground-floor parking bays have been widened, and a fresh coat of paint has been applied to brighten up the walls and pillars. Two more Blue Badge-holder bays have been added, to increase the provision for disabled parking in the town centre. The upgrade is in response to the increasing size of modern vehicles. St Marys car park was built in the late 1970s, when cars were significantly smaller. The success of the scheme will be reviewed and bay widening in other car parks will be considered. Read more about car park structures and bay sizes on pages 26-27. 12 britishparking.co.uk PN Apr 2022 pp12-13 LA News.indd 12 24/03/2022 14:09