Electric car chargers installed at Chippenham train station

The new 22kW chargers can be found at Chippenham Station’s Cocklebury Road car park, just around the corner from Wiltshire College.

According to Network Rail, the new charging points are powered by guaranteed renewable energy and can provide enough power to fully charge a vehicle in as little as 3-4 hours. 

They have been in high demand, after the government announced last year that they plan to entirely phase out petrol and diesel-powered cars by 2035.

By 2035, only battery electric vehicles will be sold in the UK, but there currently aren’t enough charging points to support this.

Network Rail is working on tackling this problem, having installed approximately 500 Network Rail charging points at UK train stations like Chippenham so far.

They say the end goal is for EV charging points to be installed across 10% of car parking spaces (approximately 779 spaces) at car parks managed by Network Rail by March 2024.

Here’s how to spot an EV charging space when you see one. (Image: APCOA)

“The installation of EV chargers at the station is really good news for passengers and the wider Chippenham community and fits in with our Environmental Sustainability Strategy and the target of reaching net-zero emissions on the railway by 2050,” said Marcus Jones, Network Rail Route Director for Western.

“We hope that by supporting the use of electric vehicles by installing affordable and reliable charging facilities at stations, we can encourage the use of EVs and sustainable, green transport options.,” he added.

The new charging points in Chippenham have been marked with yellow paint on the floor, and drivers can simply plug in and pay for what they need quickly and easily via the APCOA Connect app. 

This is the same way that users can also pay for their parking.

The chargers are reportedly safe, secure and simple to use. (Image: APCOA)

The highly anticipated chargers have been installed by a partnership between Network Rail and Compleo who are one of Europe’s leading, full-service providers of EV charging technology.

“We are delighted to work with Network Rail and Compleo to facilitate a straightforward and reliable EV and parking solution for local customers,” said Kim Challis, regional managing director of APCOA.

“Sustainability and customer convenience are of vital importance to our all of our businesses,” she added.

As well as providing an auto pay facility, APCOA will also manage all customer enquires and support, in case you discover an issue with your charger.