Portsmouth residents are encouraged to help shape the future of parking and electric vehicles in the city by taking part in an online survey and visiting events.

Portsmouth City Council has launched parking strategy and electric vehicle infrastructure strategy consultations to seek feedback on a series of proposed objectives and policies developed through engagement with key stakeholders.

The parking strategy will take an integrated approach to parking across the city. It will include a review of parking in the city centre and district centres and encourage sustainable and alternative travel for some journeys where possible. It’s recognised that this will mean some people will leave their cars at home more often and will need access to parking spaces nearby. It’s hoped that this will have the effect of improving people’s environment and quality of life, as well as helping regeneration in the city.

The EV infrastructure strategy aims to improve charging infrastructure for people living in, visiting, and working in the city. It will also look at expanding the council’s off-street electric vehicle infrastructure, as well as helping the council vehicle fleet convert to EVs.

Everyone can have their say online until 29 October 2023 by visiting www.travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/draft-parking-strategy-consultation/ or www.travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/draft-evi-strategy-consultation/. People can also visit an event to discuss their views and take part, and details are available on these webpages.

These are the first three events:

North End Library, Wednesday 27 September, 2pm-6pm
Cosham Library, Wednesday 4 October, 11am-5pm
Commercial Road, Wednesday 11 October, 2pm-6pm

Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Cabinet Member for Transport at Portsmouth City Council said:

“I know that the issue of parking is important for everyone in Portsmouth, so it’s vital that we develop a strategy that works for everyone wherever we can, and the best way to do that is to seek feedback from a wide variety of residents, businesses and visitors to our city.

“In a similar way, more people are choosing electric vehicles, so we want to support this shift to encourage greener, cleaner and more connected journeys in Portsmouth. I encourage everyone to have their say on these surveys to help shape the future of parking and electric vehicles in Portsmouth.”

The parking strategy will centre on the goal of aligning with the council’s vision to reduce car usage among residents in the city, encouraging a shift towards walking, cycling, and public transport. If this is successful, it’s likely that more people will leave their cars at home more frequently and will need the council’s support in facilitating convenient residential parking options while promoting alternative modes of transportation for short journeys.

The electric vehicle strategy is geared towards establishing a dependable and easily accessible EV charging network throughout the city, streamlining the transition to electric vehicles for residents. This effort will build upon the steps already made in introducing charging infrastructure in Portsmouth and will be tailored to meet the expected surge in demand for plug-in vehicles. This is further bolstered by the council’s earlier receipt of a £3.6 million grant from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund earlier in the year.

The aims of both the parking strategy and electric vehicle infrastructure strategy are to promote more sustainable modes of travel, establish a dependable and accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure and back the council’s pledge to attain Net Zero emissions by 2030. This comprehensive approach is geared towards curbing air pollution, enhancing public health, and fostering a cleaner, healthier environment for all residents of the city, while simultaneously bolstering the economic growth of Portsmouth and supporting local businesses.

Once the council has collated all the feedback from the survey, recommendations will be taken to a Transport decision meeting later this year. The final versions of the strategies will then be created and published to help guide the delivery of EV infrastructure and parking for the benefit of those who live, work, and visit Portsmouth.