EV Charging Points in Heaton

Heaton is not the easiest place to own an electric car. Most of the neighbourhood is Victorian and Edwardian terraces and Tyneside flats, so very few homes have a driveway, and a cable can't simply be run from the front room to a car parked on the street. The good news is that there are now several public charge points within a few minutes of Chillingham Road, including two rapid sites fast enough for a proper top-up while you grab a coffee.

This guide covers the public chargers we have been able to confirm in and around Heaton, what Newcastle City Council is doing about charging for homes without driveways, and a few tips for living with an EV in a terraced street.

Best for:

Prices and availability change often, so check the operator's app or Zapmap for current tariffs and whether a charger is working before you set off.

Rapid chargers in Heaton and Byker

The Corner House, Heaton Road

The car park at The Corner House, the landmark 1930s pub and hotel at the top of Heaton Road, has two rapid chargers run by Evyve. Between them there are four connectors (CCS on both units and a CHAdeMO on one), each rated at around 75kW, which is enough to add a useful amount of range in half an hour on most modern cars. You can pay through the Evyve app or Zap-Pay, and Evyve says its rapid chargers also take contactless card payment with no sign-up needed.

It is the most convenient rapid charger for most of Heaton, and the pub is right there if you want somewhere warm to wait.

Best for: Best for: a rapid top-up in the heart of Heaton, with a pub on hand while you wait.

Shields Road (IMO car wash)

On Shields Road in Byker, the IMO car wash site (NE6 2UD) hosts chargers on the Be.EV network. There are two units here: one with CCS and CHAdeMO at 50kW plus a 22kW Type 2 socket, and a second with two CCS connectors rated up to 150kW. That makes it the fastest public charging we know of near Heaton, assuming your car can take that speed. Payment is through the Be.EV app, web pay or Zap-Pay.

Best for: Best for: the quickest charge near Heaton if your car supports 150kW.

McDonald's, Potts Street, Byker

InstaVolt runs two rapid charge points at the McDonald's on Potts Street in Byker (NE6 1ED), each with a CCS connector (up to 125kW) and a CHAdeMO connector (up to 50kW). The site is open 24 hours a day, and you can tap a contactless card to start and pay, with no subscription or connection fee. InstaVolt also offers cheaper overnight rates to app users, so it is worth downloading the app if you charge here regularly.

Best for: Best for: a 24-hour rapid charge with simple contactless payment.

Slower chargers nearby

Masonic Hall, Corbridge Road, Byker

The Masonic Hall on Corbridge Road (NE6 1HY) has two 11kW Type 2 chargers on the Tap Electric network, started and paid for through the Tap Electric app. At this speed it is better suited to a longer stay of a few hours than a quick stop, and you will need your own Type 2 cable.

Best for: Best for: a slower, longer charge for anyone living on the Byker side of Heaton.

Council charge points (EV Smart)

Newcastle City Council's own public chargers are managed by EV Smart, and you need the EV Smart app to use them. The app shows where the council points are, lets you set up an account, explains how each charger works and lets you report faults. The council also publishes a map of its charge points and their current status on its Greener Newcastle website, where you can suggest a location for a future charger too.

Charging at home without a driveway

This is the big question for most Heaton households. Newcastle City Council says that if you have off-street parking, such as a driveway or garage, you can usually install a home charger without planning permission, provided your driveway is at least 5 metres long. If you need a new dropped kerb to get onto your drive, that requires a separate vehicle crossing application to the council. Homes without off-street parking cannot install a charger of their own.

For the many Heaton streets with no driveways, two schemes are coming:

• Shared residential chargers. The council is using government Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding to install shared charging points in residential areas, aimed specifically at homes that cannot have their own charger.
• Cross-pavement charging. North East Mayor Kim McGuinness has secured £1.2 million from the Cross Pavement Charging Fund to help more than 1,000 households charge at home by running a cable safely across the pavement. The council says applications will open once its pilot launches, with eligibility set by each local authority, and not every property will be suitable.

Until then, please don't trail a loose cable across the pavement: it is a trip hazard on Heaton's narrow footpaths. Some drivers without a home charger use community sharing apps such as Co-Charger or Just Charge, which connect you with neighbours willing to share their own charger when they are not using it.

For questions about council charging, contact ev.charging@newcastle.gov.uk.

Tips for EV drivers in Heaton

• Download the apps before you need them. Evyve, Be.EV, InstaVolt, Tap Electric and EV Smart all have their own apps, and Zapmap shows almost every public charger in one place, with live status for many.
• Check parking rules as well as charging. Some Heaton streets are in residents' permit zones; our parking in Heaton guide explains how they work.
• Leave the car at home for short trips. Heaton is compact, with two Metro stations and good routes into town; see our cycling in Heaton guide for ideas.

Know of a charge point in Heaton we've missed, or one that has gone out of service? Let us know via our contact page.