Two cars will be placed at each of the following locations and local residents will receive free membership to the Car Club as well as credit added to their account:
- Ann Street, Ipswich
- Norfolk Road, Ipswich
- Norwich Road, Lowestoft
- Cannon Street, Bury St Edmunds
- Crown Street, Stowmarket
- Castle Street, Woodbridge
- Granary Road, Newmarket
- Station Yard Car Park, Needham Market
- Maiden Way Car Park, Hadleigh
- Girling Street Car Park, Sudbury
With a further location under review for addition to the scheme in Leiston. Visit the Plug in Suffolk Car Club website to stay up to date with the latest news on the project.
From this summer, residents and visitors across Suffolk will be able to book the cars through Co Wheels by phone, website or app.
Car Clubs have already been successfully trialled in other parts of the country and have been found to have many benefits including:
- Less petrol and diesel cars on the road which improves air quality and reduces parking pressure
- Lower costs for families by providing a convenient alternative to owning your own car or second car
- Better access to electric vehicles for all in the community
- Support for local businesses who can sign up to the scheme as a business to provide clean transport for their staff
An initial 18-month trial will determine the appetite for a wider scheme across the county so we could see electric community vehicles rolled out to more locations in Suffolk in the future. This innovative project is funded by Suffolk’s public sector organisations and managed by Suffolk County Council with additional charge point funding provided by the Department for Transport’s On Street Residential ChargePoint Scheme (ORCS).
On the ground, the Car Clubs themselves will be delivered by Co Wheels and the chargepoints provided by Connected Kerb and, for those in their area, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council.
Providing Suffolk residents with access to electric community vehicles is just one part of the wider plan to transform Suffolk into a net zero county. You can find out more about this on the Green Suffolk website.
To stay up to date with the project, sign up to the mailing list or send your questions to the Suffolk County Council Car Clubs team at carclubs@suffolk.gov.uk.
Richard Falconer, Head of Mobility at Co Wheels, said:
"We’re excited to expand the Co Wheels network across Suffolk. This expansion marks an important step in our mission to provide sustainable and flexible transport options to communities across the UK. With Co Wheels, residents can save money, reduce their carbon footprint and enjoy greater transport flexibility— all without the financial and environmental costs of car ownership.
"We look forward to working closely with Suffolk’s public sector organisations, local businesses and community groups to make a positive contribution to Suffolk’s sustainability goals and its vision for cleaner, greener towns and cities."
Chris Pateman-Jones, Chief Executive Officer at Connected Kerb, said:
"We are delighted to support the Plug In Suffolk Car Club initiative by providing the essential electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This project is a significant step towards making electric vehicles accessible to everyone in the community, promoting cleaner air, and supporting the UK’s transition to sustainable transport.
"By working together with Suffolk’s public sector organisations and Co Wheels, we are helping to create a greener, more connected future for Suffolk residents."
Councillor Gerald Kelly, Chair of the Suffolk Councils’ Environment Portfolio Holders’ Group, said:
"I am thrilled that drivers across Suffolk will be able to access this new fleet of all electric vehicles. I encourage all drivers living near these locations to sign up for the scheme. Not only do these cars provide a cost-effective method of transport for residents in the surrounding areas, but they also help to keep those rarely needed second petrol and diesel vehicles off the roads which improves air quality for all.
"Plug In Suffolk Car Clubs are one way in which we are delivering on the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan by providing low carbon transport solutions. These community vehicles enable individuals, families and businesses to get involved with our mission to create a net zero Suffolk."
News release issued on behalf of Creating the Greenest County partners.
