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Electric vehicle charging

Electric vehicle charging points are available at a number of car parks across the borough and we plan to introduce more soon. Most are in areas where many residents don’t have access to off-street parking and may want to charge their vehicle overnight. The chargers are also available to anyone visiting these areas during the day.

Car parks with charge points in Barnsley town centre are:

  • Churchfields car park
  • Mark Street car park
  • Market Gate car park
  • Sackville Street car park
  • The Glass Works car park

Other car parks in the borough with charge points are:

  • Bank Street car park, Cudworth
  • Church Street car park, Darton
  • Duke Street car park, Hoyland
  • Elsecar Heritage Centre car park, Elsecar
  • Queen Street car park, Goldthorpe
  • Shrewsbury Road car park, Penistone
  • Summer Lane car park, Wombwell
  • West Road car park, Pogmoor
  • Wombwell park and ride

All of our charge points can be found on Zapmap, as well as other available public charge points.

How to use a charge point

There's a QR code on each charge point which you need to scan using your smartphone. This will bring up a screen with details of:

  • the charge point you're at
  • the per kilowatt hour cost of charging
  • the highest power of the charge

You can then choose to start charging with either a direct payment or by downloading the app.

If you select direct payment, simply add your card details, press confirm and start charging.

If you select the app, you can download it to your phone (if it’s your first time of using it) and your details will be stored for future use.

If you don’t have a smartphone, you need to call the number on the charger with your card details to start a charge. For Blink chargers call 0330 111 0076 or for Mer chargers call 020 3884 2768.

Charging costs

The charge points aren't free to use. The cost reflects the cost of the electricity supplied, as well as the cost of maintaining the charge point network and providing the service.

If you have a problem using a charge point

The charge points are operated by Blink and Mer. For any issues with using the charge point, or to report a fault, please call 0330 111 0076 for Blink chargers or 020 3884 2768 for Mer chargers.

How the charge point locations were decided

The charge point locations were decided in 2018/19 and aim to provide electric vehicle charging in both our town centre and principal towns.

If you'd like to request charge points in your local area, please email energy@barnsley.gov.uk

Further charge points will be subject to available funding and the cost of electrical connection.

Future charge points

We're committed to ensuring charging equipment in Barnsley meets the needs of residents and visitors.

We already have plans to deliver more rapid and fast charging in the town centre. We'll also be building a project to install further charge points across the borough using available government grant funding.

If you'd like to see charge points in your local area please email energy@barnsley.gov.uk

How the charge points were paid for

The charge points have been partly funded through capital investment and partly funded through the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) on-street residential charge point scheme (ORCS). They provide funding for charge points for those residents who don't have access to off-street parking and are unable to charge their vehicles at home.

Charge point locations have been specifically chosen to provide charging for nearby areas of housing without access to off-street parking.

Charging at home 

Just a few things to remember when charging your vehicle at home: 

  • If you're charging your vehicle on the street you can't have cables across the pavement. 
  • Cables can't be across paths or hanging overhead as these are a hazard.  It's an offence under The Highways Act to have wires/cables across a path that are likely to be a danger to the public. 
  • You're potentially liable if someone trips or injures themselves.  You could be held responsible. 

At present our advice is that people shouldn't trail cables across public pavements and roads in any way.  This includes cable protectors, cable ramps or any equipment that could cause a trip hazard to pedestrians.