A TEST Valley village is set to get a jolt of life under a new scheme.

Believ, the electric vehicle (EV) charge point operator, has partnered with the Broughton Village Hall to install an EV charge point as part of its drive to support rural communities and visitors to the village.  

The charge point has been installed in Broughton’s Village Hall car park to encourage local residents who are considering a switch to electric, and to support those who already use an EV.

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The new EV charging point (Image: Believ)

The rapid charge point can facilitate two vehicles, with a choice between 50kw and 20kw charging speeds, and is publicly accessible for anyone.  

Village hall committee vice-chairman, Barry Tabor is delighted that the village now has its very own publicly available charging facility: “For us, it is crucial that we invest in EV infrastructure to ensure those residents who do not have a driveway have a place to charge a vehicle that is reliable and easy to use. It will also benefit customers to our local Community Shop (situated within the Hall) and other users of the Hall,” he said.  

“Through our partnership with Believ we hope to serve as an example to other local communities that the move to electric isn’t out of reach, you need only to choose the right partner to make it happen. Believ have enabled us to overcome financial hurdles associated with installing the charging infrastructure.” 

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The news comes as the UK edges closer to the ambition of installing 300,000 charge points across the country by 2030 in conjunction with the ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol vehicles in 2035.  

Guy Bartlett, CEO at Believ, said that supporting rural communities is an important step in accelerating the journey to an electric future: “Our philosophy is to ensure no one is left behind in the switch to electric. That means a meaningful expansion of charge point infrastructure outside our towns and cities to ensure everyone has the opportunity to own an EV and enjoy cleaner air for all.”