COMMENT is being sought by the City of Kalamunda on a proposal to install four electric vehicle charging bays in Forrestfield.

If approved, the application will see the charging bays installed as part of a new carpark at 521 Dundas Road in Forrestfield – out the front of the CD Dodd Scrap Metal Recyclers site – with four waiting bays also a part of the proposal.

CD Dodd general manager Christopher Dodd said the new chargers will be available 24 hours, seven days a week to the public and the total estimated cost for the project is about $200,000.

He said the reason for installing the charging bays was due to the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement, with an electric vehicle charger already located inside the premises – which the public can access during business hours – alongside also operating a similar facility at Ross’s Discount Home Centre in Guildford, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Our proposed recharge stations will offer competitive pricing at 45 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is lower than the state government’s WA EV network rate of 60 cents per kilowatt-hour,” he said.

The transport impact statement for the proposal recommends that an idle parking fee be adopted to promote efficient parking turnover for the charging station and to discourage long-term parking in the bays, but Mr Dodd said they have decided to not implement an idle fee at this location.

Australian Electric Vehicle Association president Chris Jones, a Kalamunda resident, welcomed the addition of more electric vehicle chargers but also said that more chargers are also needed in rural areas as well.

“That location being quite close to the airport will certainly benefit quite a few of the rideshare operators who are running EVs who might want to charge up nearby,” he said.

“I don’t think we necessarily need a lot more fast charging in the metropolitan area, the real need for fast charging is out in the bush and between towns.”

Public consultation for the proposal closes January 26, 2024, and can be made online or in person.