Lambeth powers up with lamp-post EV chargers delivering cleaner streets and new income
Lambeth Council is set to make 167 electric vehicle (EV) charging bays permanent across the borough — confirming a scheme that reduces traditional parking space while introducing a new source …
Black News 
Lambeth Council is set to make 167 electric vehicle (EV) charging bays permanent across the borough — confirming a scheme that reduces traditional parking space while introducing a new source of income.
The bays, installed alongside lamp column charge points between October 2024 and early 2025, were introduced on a trial basis. Now, following a statutory consultation that attracted just eight objections across all locations, council officers are recommending that the experimental scheme should become permanent.
For a change that directly repurposes kerbside space, the level of pushback has been notably low. Those who did object raised a familiar concern: the gradual erosion of on-street parking for residents.
Officers acknowledge the squeeze but conclude that the impact at each site is “relatively minor” and justified by wider environmental and health benefits.
There was no opposition to the scheme’s tougher parking rules, including a 24-hour “no return” restriction designed to prevent bays being hogged.
The rollout is part of Lambeth’s broader push to reach net zero by 2030, with the council aiming to ensure residents — particularly those without driveways — are within a short walk of a charging point.
More fundamentally, it reflects a deliberate shift in how street space is being used, with policy now geared towards reducing emissions rather than maximising parking capacity.
Under its kerbside strategy, Lambeth plans to convert 25 per cent of road space to “sustainable” uses such as EV charging, cycle parking and car clubs by the end of the decade.
While the administrative cost of making the scheme permanent is modest — around £3,000 — the wider project represents a far larger investment. Installing the charge points cost £322,000, partly funded by a government grant.
It is also beginning to pay back. The council’s “own and operate” model means it keeps any surplus income, with the network generating nearly £28,000 in its first partial year and expected to bring in around £132,000 annually going forward.
The report acknowledges potential impacts on disabled residents who may previously have relied on the converted spaces, although no significant issues have been identified. In specific cases, officers say bays could be relocated if needed.
A final decision is expected on 27th March, with approval likely to see the experimental orders converted into permanent fixtures on streets across Lambeth.
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