Residents living in tower blocks in Barking and Dagenham are facing concerns over the availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging points, a council meeting has heard.
During a Barking and Dagenham Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, councillors discussed the ongoing implementation of electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The meeting agenda and public reports pack can be found here.
Councillor Julia Williams raised the issue, highlighting the disparity between residents with driveways who can charge EVs overnight using cheaper electricity, and those in tower blocks who would need to find off-site charging solutions.
Is there anything we can do with regards to infrastructure on our streets?
Councillor Williams asked. I've heard that some boroughs maybe have charging points in lampposts, something like that. So that our more disadvantaged residents who want to switch to hybrid or electric vehicles are not disadvantaged by having to charge them more expensively than residents who might be better off.
Daniel Connelly, Parking and Environmental Design Team Manager, acknowledged the point, stating that the council is working with partners to boost the number of EV charging points. He confirmed that Barking and Dagenham has worked with partners, a partner called Connected Curb, to try and boost the amount of electric vehicle charging points in the borough.
Lamppost charging is an option that needs to be explored further with highways colleagues.
We absolutely do need to look at these initiatives going forward and boost that way we're going forward,
Connelly said. In terms of infrastructure, as I said, to date, we are boosting the amount of electric vehicle charging points that are out there. And I take your point in terms of those that live on top of a tower block. They obviously can't have that private charge, but may want to have an electric vehicle, but feel that's a barrier to entry. And the only way of doing that is growing those options out on the street, locally.
Beyond lamppost charging, the council is putting in a load of car share arrangements and car club arrangements across the borough to try and boost that initiative as well.
These initiatives aim to provide alternative charging solutions for residents in tower blocks.
