ElectricalNews

Local authorities in the UK rely on Mer’s EV expertise

Mer, an electric vehicle company, is helping public sector authorities to make strides towards meeting their electric mobility, EV adoption and net zero goals.

Alex Hinchcliffe, Interim Managing Director at Mer UK, says, “Mer’s work, most recently with Eastleigh Borough Council, Breckland District Council and Hart District Council are just a few examples of our commitment to working with public sector bodies to build a strong public charge point network. Working with installation partner Joju Charging, we are delighted to be supporting the growth of the EV market by optimising and expanding our networks with local authorities in line with driver demand, bringing charging to new pockets of the UK, and helping councils achieve their ambitions for reaching net zero.”

Mer’s work with Eastleigh Borough Council began with installing charge points at four sites. Due to growing demand, phase two of the partnership is already underway, including further charge point installation at new sites across the borough and the expansion of the phase one site. This ensures the public charging network in Eastleigh remains fit for purpose as usage increases.

Andy Brennan, Climate Change Manager at Eastleigh Borough Council, says, “Mer has provided our district with future-fit EV charging infrastructure. Following the success of phase one, which included installing a mix of fast and rapid charging at Romsey Road Car Park, Places Leisure, Channon Retail Park and Chestnut Avenue Retail Park, we are thrilled to be expanding our network with Mer.”

Mer is also working with Breckland District Council, initially building a mix of rapid and fast-charging infrastructure in several locations, with plans for a charge point rollout shortly. Helen Crane, Executive Member for Waste, Environmental Health, Licensing and Sustainability at Breckland District Council, says, “We are working with Mer to enhance the electric mobility experience in our area so the community will see a reliable EV charging network come to life. The move will enable our residents to have greater accessibility to electric vehicle charging ports and is another step towards becoming a more carbon neutral district.”

Recently, Mer was awarded a contract to work with Hart District Council through a competitive tender process. The Council has set climate goals, including becoming a carbon-neutral authority by 2035 and a carbon-neutral district by 2040. It has incorporated the reduction of CO2 emissions in Hart at the centre of policies and formal decision-making.

Following a site survey and application for power through the District Network Operator, it plans to deliver several EV charge point bays with the Council.

To read more about Mer, click here.