Bembridge Parish Council has confirmed the completion of ‘Project Pod’ – the first public highway installation on the Isle of Wight of a new state of the art Dual Electric Vehicle Charging Point.
The new Pod is situated outside the Parish Office in Foreland Road, Bembridge – conveniently located just a 1-minute walk to the village centre. Although this facility is provided for everyone, it is envisaged that it will be mostly used by those visiting from the mainland where they can park in the dedicated charging bay, spend a couple of hours having a spot of lunch and perhaps do a bit of shopping in the High Street.
The Pod has already proven popular even whilst waiting for the bay marking to be implemented (now complete).
Project leader Councillor Grant Stillman said:
“It is fantastic that Bembridge is leading the way with this Green initiative, and we are confident that as sales of EV’s increase (and prices continue to fall) that it will be utilised regularly.
“Depending on the increase in demand we will consider additional Pods in Bembridge with Steyne Park Car Park being earmarked as the next potential Pod site, however if early indications are anything to go by then the Pod will prove very popular with visitors and demand will outstrip supply.
“With the Government’s pledge to end new vehicle sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035, and the EV Charging infrastructure growing exponentially, the idea of purchasing an EV is becoming more attractive. In fact, in January of this year, new EV sales were up 200% on the same period a year earlier. The growth of the charging infrastructure nationally is vital to consumer confidence and means that EV owners will not have to be concerned about the lack of charging sites available.”
This project would not have been possible without a generous percentage of the cost being covered by grant funding and the assistance and cooperation of the Isle of Wight Council, Island Roads and contractors JA Dempsey and Berry Electrical, who have all worked together to get this project completed.
Bembridge Parish Council says due to the arrival of COVID-19, some aspects of the project were delayed and they apologise for any inconvenience to residents during the installation of the pod and/or bay marking.
For further information on the Pod, how to access it, charging tariff and availability, download the Pod-Point or Plugshare app from Google Play (Android devices) or your App Store (iOS devices).
In the interest of balance , is a diesel pump going to be installed as well ?
Whilst realising the current and future need for such charging points for visitors to our Island, I can’t help thinking that the location chosen for the pod would have better utilised elsewhere.
We have now lost a sizeable double parking place where parking is very limited now for people visiting the Parish office, the myriad of little shops, the Vets often with awkward to carry caged or very ill animals and not forgetting the splendid Chip shop, all of whom would have been better served by having all vehicle parking.
Whilst EV points are needed, and will become increasing so, those tourists visiting the Islands towns and villages would have had little difficulty in having a short stroll from a less valuable EV parking spot in a more residential street. Thus leaving struggling business owners more chance of a ‘pop in’ paying customer choosing our outlet rather than driving elsewhere.
The long lean Winter months when visitor numbers are a mere trickle will mean a likely long vacant parking space(s) just at the time when retail has never been so needed of customers.
A fine and noble idea, just an abysmal choice of location, but then the Parish Chamber doesn’t gain financially by customers walking through it’s door, others however, do.
Parking can be limited in that area so is it a dedicated parking slot for electric vehicles?
Typically of Island Roads to locate the charging unit in a busy shopping area where parking is already at such a premium. So Simon, in answer to your question, both these two much needed parking spaces are SOLEY for electric vehicles.
As mentioned by others, the loss of even two parking bays creates a serious blow to local businesses. Especially so as the coming winter weather will now grow ever more unpleasant. During these social distancing times we are all abiding to, many people sit in their vehicles whilst awaiting food orders so as to minimise personal risk.
Others wait in their vehicles whilst a partner or a work college shops so as not to needlessly crowd the small businesses outlets in this area. Few customers, especially the elderly will wish to wait on a rain lashed windswept pavement in inclement weather. Thus the long out of season retail will suffer.
Being unable to wait in your safe, dry vehicle will be even more galling when, for much of the year with few visitors here, the parking spaces will likely be empty most days soon until next Easter, as local EV owners have no need to use such, only visitors.
Perhaps Island roads could re-locate this to where the parish council suggested in the large car park at stene park?
Why Bembridge? Newport is the logical place oh yeah it’s the isle Of Wight lol
Well done Bembridge, i won’t be using it though, can’t afford the car.
Wonders how soon before some idiot damages it.;
We have now lost a sizeable double parking place.
Parking is very limited now for people visiting the Parish office, the myriad of little shops, the Vets often with awkward to carry caged or very ill animals and not forgetting the splendid Chip shop, all of whom would have been better served by having all vehicle parking.
A long Winter with few visitors will mean two parking spaces left idle when customers are needed more than ever in our shops and businesses.
Well done, for what exactly?
For losing two valuable car spaces for potential customers for the Bakery, the Vets, the delightful and friendly Fish and Chip shop and the several small shops and business adjacent to this ill positioned pod.
This pod, along with additional pods as needed in the future could have easily been positioned in a more residential road, or indeed as suggested in the article at Steyne rd. car park, which I think is still currently free to use?
Taking up two parking bays which could otherwise have been utilised for paying customers in any of the shops and businesses is most short sighted. During much of the long Autumn, Winter, and Spring months, visitor number dwindle, and yet other, none EV vehicles, are legally prevented from parking in those two allocated bays all year long.
CV distancing will ensure a difficult Winters trading for many of us small shop owners, and even two lost car spaces where potential customers could have sat and waited in the comfort of their vehicle, rather than stood wet and cold on a pavement has now been lost.
Seems the site was chosen more as a self promotion exercise rather than a practical logistical choice.
Perhaps out of season usage figures will be made available to the public, and then the pod site location, if, as is likely, is barely used for months on end, the pod could be re-sited with more thought for local businesses and their customers more in mind.
quote “we will consider additional Pods in Bembridge with Steyne Park Car Park being earmarked as the next potential Pod site,”
The cynic in me thinks that you will be charged a parking fee while charging or maybe it is seen as an opportunity to issue fines.
So cynical but sooooooo true Jon
Hope the cables don’t create a danger to people with poor/ limited eye sight.
So let me get this right…the plan by the UK government is to urge consumers to purchase electric cars and here the news is that we as an island now have ONE public electrical charging point and that is in Bembridge…, Now I am not one who wants to open a can of worms and discuss discrimination l, but it has to be asked why Bembridge was chosen for this Publuc Electric charging point as opposed to one being placed in Pan Estate !!! is it for the fact that the local council considers Bembridge to be the most affluent area on the island and that only people who live in Bembridge would be able to potentially afford extortionate costs of an electric car! Now back to my point…. I do not consider myself to be extremely intelligent however I fear that 1 charging point or even if they excel and get 20 charging points on the island within the next five years , this will not be by any stretch enough to cope with what the government hopes demand will be. I fully understand that many people will have charging points at their homes however since we are an island reliant on tourism I would envisage that we just like any other town or city will need a vast amount of charging points and quite frankly I just don’t see how the local councils and current car park owners are going to cope with the demand , So the way I see it is that more land will be turned into car parking/electric charging zones and what we save on petrol will probably be charged by the councils to park your car on charge it. Please don’t think I’m being negative but in life I’m starting to learn that you don’t get anything for free and if the public Charging zones start off being able to be used free , as soon as supply and demand comes along you can pretty much guarantee there will be costs introduced !!
Wonder how long before it’s vandalized???
This isn’t quite true . For customers staying at a certain BnB in chale they can use an electric changing point for free
We were regular visitors but we have an electric vehicle now but wont be able to holiday on the IOW until the network of charging points improves