Midlands councils in £1million electric vehicle charging point bid
Herefordshire has partnered with four local authorities across the Midlands region, alongside Sub-National Transport Body Midlands Connect to submit a bid for almost £1million in funding, as part of Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Pilot.
If successful, the money - which totals £935,355 - will be distributed between Herefordshire, Rutland, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Stoke-on-Trent Councils. It is expected that this support from Government will attract an additional £2.1million in private sector investment, with the cumulative funds being used to install a total of 322 standard and 27 rapid public electric vehicle (EV) chargers.
Last year, analysis by Midlands Connect found that the Midlands needed 17,461 new public EV charging points by the end of 2025 to meet growing demand. It is hoped that this pilot could pave the way for a larger, region-wide installation scheme.
The majority of chargepoints installed will be on-street chargers in residential areas, alongside some publicly-available chargers situated in council-owned carparks and other council owned land.
Estimates suggest that the installation and maintenance of electric vehicle charging points will create an influx of jobs in the region, with over 42,000 related roles set to be created in the Midlands region by the end of 2032.
At present, 93% of electric vehicle owners have access to off-road parking. It’s hoped that increasing the number of public charging stations will make it easier for those without a driveway to make the switch to electric, while also increasing the ease of travel and charging for all EV users.
Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect, said: “It’s clear that the electric vehicle revolution is well underway in the Midlands – our projections suggest that by the end of the decade over one in four cars will be electric. It’s vital that we act now to install the infrastructure motorists need to travel conveniently and to accelerate the take up of EVs, especially in areas where on-street parking is the norm. Local Authorities are working hard to install public charge points, but it’s vital that we secure support from Government to make change happen faster and encourage further investment from the private sector.”
