Council’s role in this project is to manage parking. To ensure EV owners can easily and safely use the chargers, Council is proposing to change parking restrictions for some of the kerbside chargers.

This engagement focuses on kerbsides EV charging only. Council is currently working with our EV Carpark Charging Providers on installing fast-charging EV chargers in council-owned carparks.

Inner West Council has partnered with three Kerbside Charging Partners. For more information on their chargers and how to use them, please visit their websites below:

EVSE - Ocular IQ Dual Port Tower V2 | 2 x 22 kW | Socket - EVSE Australia

EVX - EVX Polecharger - EVX

Plus ES - PLUS ES - data, metering, infrastructure & energy services

Our Kerbside Charging Partners install the chargers on power poles in accordance with State planning policies. This means the chargers can be installed without requiring council development approval.

Our kerbside charging providers have proposed charging locations across Inner West with a focus around town centres, parks and older strata buildings where charging options are limited.

The locations have been chosen by our kerbside charging providers using several key factors, including:

• Capacity of the electrical grid;
• Areas identified by the NSW EV Kerbside Charging Grant guidelines and where off-street parking is limited;
• Prominent, not premium locations to reduce inconvenience for residents (e.g., avoiding placing chargers directly outside standalone houses wherever possible); and
• Ensuring safety and easy access for all users.

The locations have also been reviewed and approved by the State Government as part of its funding process.

The chargers will be self-enforcing and may include overstay fees at the providers’ discretion. While rangers may not be conducting regular patrols at these locations, we rely on the community’s support to help maintain compliance. If you observe any breaches of the restrictions, please report them here so our rangers to respond promptly and appropriately.

Inner West is still in the early stages of moving from traditional petrol and diesel vehicles to electric vehicles.

To support this shift while respecting the needs of all residents, we have a mix of chargers with and without dedicated charging spaces. This approach encourages more people to switch to EVs, while also ensuring parking remains available for those who don’t own electric vehicles.

In some cases, recommendations were made to retain the current parking restrictions to ensure that the space is accessible by all motorists.

Council will begin reviewing all public kerbside charging stations starting in June/July to see if changes to the existing parking restriction are needed.

This could mean council proposing to remove or introduce the “EV while charging only” restriction, depending on the usage data. Should council propose any changes to the parking restrictions, it will follow the processes listed in the Roads Act including but not limited to community consultation, Local Transport Forum (LTF) and final adoption of recommendations by Council.

Please note that all vehicles must be parked lawfully regardless of charging needs. There are chargers provided in areas with 90-degree parking that are suitable for EV charging socket on the driver side of the car.

All chargers with marked spaces can be accessed 24/7 and can be used as long as the parking space is not in use or undergoing maintenance.

Access to chargers without marked spaces will be dependent on the availability of kerb space.

All chargers can be accessed 24/7, dependent on the availability of kerb space.

For chargers without marked spaces, EV drivers must only use the chargers when it is safe and legal to do so.

For chargers with marked spaces, parking spaces are reserved for EV drivers between 8am – 10pm. Outside of this time, restrictions are lifted to alleviate overnight parking stress for residents.

All chargers are BYO cables. Each provider has their own associated app which allows you to charge your car.

Charging companies are working on updating their platforms to allow for pre-booking 15 minutes prior to use. This is currently being rolled out for all chargers. Users will have to check the providers’ app to see which chargers have this capability.

The providers’ apps will show if chargers are in-use. Additionally, platforms such as PlugShare and Charge@Large show real-time updates on the status of each charger.

Payments are made through the providers’ platform where you can link your preferred debit/credit card to your account.

The providers have different pricing models.

EVX will charge their customers $0.50 per kWh and if you are parked in a metered parking area, you will also automatically be charged the parking rates applicable to the parking space. This information will be presented on the app prior to starting the charging session.

For EVSE and PLUS ES, their pricing models vary from time to time, much like petrol stations. However, prices also vary throughout the day. It will be cheaper during off-peak periods and more expensive during peak periods.

Please be aware that a penalty rate will be applied should your car be parked while fully charged.

No, you do not need to stay with your car while it is charging as long as it is safe to leave your car. However, please be aware that a penalty rate will be applied should your car be parked while fully charged.

Providers maintain their own charger. Each charger will have a number you can call to report any issues. Alternatively, you can report the issues through their apps.