Christchurch EV charging: can A35 stops repay a charger?

A Christchurch pub needs evidence that passing drivers can stop, rather than relying on road traffic alone. The supplied DfT extract records 29,712 vehicles a day on the A35 [S5]. Compare access and visitor dwell time with the local charging listings, then test the rapid-charger illustration including the separate supply-upgrade scenario. Checked October 2026.

Last checked 17 October 2026

Which A35 journeys might turn into a stop at your premises?

Christchurch’s busiest counted major road in the supplied DfT extract is the A35, with 29,712 vehicles a day in 2025 [S5]. A pub or café needs a safe, convenient stopping place before that traffic matters commercially. Check the actual turn into your site, onward route and whether queues would interfere with deliveries.

Town-centre visitors already have different parking options. The council identifies Saxon Square as short-stay parking and points longer stays towards locations including Christchurch Quay and Priory [S11]. Its separate Saxon Square facilities page lists accessible toilets and baby-changing provision [S12]. These are practical local amenities to compare with your offer, rather than evidence that all visitors will use a new charger.

Use the site checker to assess access before estimating sessions.

How much charging supply is listed in Christchurch?

The supplied town extract records 16 public sites listed on Open Charge Map, containing 38 devices; 8 sites include rapid charging [S1]. Its Census built-up-area population is 48,973 [S2] [S3]. The resulting ratios are 3.3 sites and 7.8 devices per 10,000 residents.

Open Charge Map is community-maintained and lists fewer points than DfT’s council count. Its live map could not be used to reproduce the supplied extract today. These figures describe that snapshot, rather than an official total or a live availability service. Compare access hours and nearby facilities before concluding there is a gap. The local charging tool can help you organise those checks.

Could a Christchurch pub recover the cost of rapid charging?

Consider a pub with off-street parking that wants to serve short customer visits as well as passing motorists. Fully funded places purchase and operation with a provider; your income is the agreed host share. Part funded requires a host contribution for a larger return. Self funded puts the investment and operating surplus with the pub. None establishes how many sessions you will sell.

Pub rapid-charger calculation

This is an illustration, not a quote. kW is kilowatts of power; kWh is kilowatt-hours of energy. DC means direct current. Session volumes, tariffs, shares and overheads are assumptions.

At middle use, 3 × 20 × 365 = 21,900 kWh. Sales = 21,900 × £0.65 = £14,235. Net = 21,900 × (£0.65 − £0.25) − £1,500 = £7,260. The fully funded provider pays operating costs and gives the host 10% of sales. The assumed part funded agreement splits the surplus equally. ROI is net ÷ your capital × 100; payback is your capital ÷ net. Rounded outputs use unrounded calculations.

A main supply upgrade is a separate £40,000–£150,000 cost reference [S6] [S7]. Add £40,000 as a sensitivity: total capital becomes £70,000, with self funded payback of 49.3 / 9.6 / 4.4 years and ROI of 2.0% / 10.4% / 22.9%. Splitting that total equally gives the part funded host the same returns on £35,000.

Groundworks and cabling outside the installation scope, connection fees and any further reinforcement remain extra. Exclude grants, tax, borrowing, rent, major replacements and business rates changes from these operating figures. Ask your distribution network operator, or DNO, for a connection assessment [S9]. Rerun the income calculation with its written price.

Which grant checks come before an order?

The Workplace Charging Scheme cap is £500 per eligible socket and the scheme runs until 31 March 2027 [S8]. Check whether your proposed use qualifies; a roadside customer charger is not automatically a workplace project. The illustration assumes no grant.

Ask the planning authority to review your layout and your solicitor to review landlord consent, liability, exit rights and reinstatement. Confirm who sets prices and supports drivers. Public-facing installations also need the public charging regulations addressed before commissioning [S10].

How does Christchurch sit within BCP and the South West?

Christchurch represents approximately 12% of the council population in the supplied comparison [S2] [S3]. The BCP council extract records 458 public chargers and 201 rapid chargers on 1 July 2026 [S4]. Do not compare the town’s rapid sites directly with the council’s rapid devices.

Use the BCP area overview and the South West page for wider context; your own customer counts decide the starting case.

Next steps

Prepare an access sketch, a record of likely stopping customers and your electricity details, then get matched with an installer that covers your area. Piggy Pineapple Ltd operates the site, refers enquiries to installer partners and may be paid a fee. Our owner holds shares in at least one partner. We name the proposed partner and disclose any owner shareholding before passing on details.