Portsmouth City Council to consult on parking and electric vehicle strategies

People in Portsmouth will soon have an opportunity to shape the future of parking and electric vehicles in the city if plans to consult are approved next week at a public decision meeting.

Portsmouth City Council are proposing the development of a parking strategy and electric vehicle strategy with the local community, to create a cleaner, greener, and better-connected city.

If plans are approved, a consultation will launch this month seeking feedback on the proposed objectives and policies. These have been developed with the support of key stakeholders with the aim of supporting the delivery of the transport strategy.

Primarily, the strategies will focus on encouraging sustainable travel options, providing reliable and accessible electric vehicle charging, reducing traffic congestion, supporting the council’s commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2030, reducing air pollution and improving health, delivering cleaner air for everyone in the city as well as supporting the economic development of Portsmouth and local businesses.

The parking strategy will aim to deliver the council’s ambition to encourage residents to use their cars less within the city and to gradually increase the amount of people walking, cycling, and using public transport. This will mean some people will leave their cars at home more often, and the council will need to support this by making it easier for residents to park near their homes in residential areas, while promoting alternative ways to travel for short trips.

The electric vehicle strategy will aim to develop reliable and accessible EV charging infrastructure in the city, making it simpler and easier for residents to switch to an electric vehicle. This will build on the work already done to introduce charging infrastructure in Portsmouth and will aim to meet the expected growth in demand of plug-in vehicles. Which is complemented by the grant received by the council earlier in the year of £.3.6m from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund.

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Cabinet Member for Transport at Portsmouth City Council said: ‘Parking is a major issue in Portsmouth, so it’s important that we listen to our residents to develop a strategy that works for everyone wherever we can.

‘Electric vehicle ownership is ever increasing, and we want to support this shift to encourage cleaner journeys. I look forward to discussing the plans to ensure residents, businesses and visitors all have an opportunity to have their say to help shape the future.’