Urban Fox has been awarded a contract by Newport City Council to deliver one of Wales’ first lamp post electric vehicle (EV) charging networks, marking a major milestone in the country’s on-street charging infrastructure.
The scheme will see 120 chargers installed across residential areas in Newport, with some streets receiving multiple units. Rather than building standalone infrastructure, the chargers will be mounted directly onto existing lamp posts to reduce street clutter, preserve pavement space and maintain the character of neighbourhoods.
Urban Fox is a joint venture between Balfour Beatty Investments and Urban Electric Networks. The partnership combines the innovation of Urban Electric Networks with Balfour Beatty’s delivery and infrastructure expertise, offering councils a fully integrated EV charging solution from funding and planning through to installation and maintenance. The company also offers the award-winning retractable UEone chargepoint.
Oli Freeling-Wilkinson, chief executive officer of Urban Fox, said: “This is a hugely exciting moment for Urban Fox. Delivering one of Wales’ first lamp post EV chargers is a major milestone in our mission to revolutionise on-street charging. By seamlessly integrating chargers into existing infrastructure, we’re not only cutting costs and reducing street clutter but also making EV charging more accessible than ever. This is about unlocking the full potential of our streets and helping even more people transition to cleaner, greener transport. We’re proud to be playing our part in the charge towards a net zero future, and this is just the beginning.”
Ion Appuhamy, managing director of Balfour Beatty Investments, added: “Securing this contract with Newport Council marks a significant milestone for Urban Fox and is testament to our commitment to driving innovative, sustainable solutions which will enable the members of the public to play their part in the UK’s Net Zero agenda.”
Councillor Yvonne Forsey, cabinet member for climate change at Newport City Council, said: “We are continuing to look for innovative ways to expand the coverage of our charging network. These new chargers are perfect for streets where there is limited pavement space to install a more traditional charging unit. We’ve already been shown to be providing the best coverage in Wales for houses with no access to off-street parking, and these installations will only improve that level of coverage.”
