• UK councils to install more than 16,500 EV chargepoints over the next 12 months, doubling the available charger capacity versus the current infrastructure
  • Despite this, 23 councils have no immediate plans to install EV chargers
  • Data comes as UK celebrates the one-millionth EV registration

UK councils are set to install more than 16,500 electric vehicle (EV) charging points over the next 12 months, which will double the number of public chargers currently installed by local authorities, according to new data released today.

The research, uncovered by British Gas under a Freedom of Information request to more than 400 UK councils, of which 195 responded to all questions asked, revealed that local authorities have installed 16,680 EV charging points to date, with a further 16,563 planned to be installed over the next 12 months.

Regional picture

Local authority owned EV charging capacity is set to more than double in five regions and nations across the UK.

London reported the highest uplift in charger numbers (101% increase from 7,848 to 15,753) followed the East of England (131% increase from 974 to 2,254), the North West (450% increase from 375 to 2,064), the South West (172% increase from 533 to 1,455) and Wales (101% increase from 394 to 793).

"Local councils have an important role to play in expanding the UK’s EV charging infrastructure, giving drivers access to publicly available chargepoints in every town and city in the UK."

Kim Royds, director of EVs at British Gas

A smaller uplift in chargepoint installations is expected from councils across the South East (98% increase from 1,686 to 3,345), Yorkshire (94% increase from 478 to 931), the North East (83% increase from 424 to 780), the Midlands (67% increase from 1,180 to 2937), and Scotland (40% increase from 2,137 to 3,039).

Despite the planned increases in capacity, the data revealed 23 UK councils currently have no plans to install EV charging points in the next twelve months, the majority (70 per cent) of which are located outside of London and the South East.

Kim Royds, director of EVs at British Gas said: “Electrifying the UK's transport systems is a key component of its journey to net zero, and universal adoption of EVs will only be possible if the charging capacity is there to support it.

“It’s incredibly encouraging to see council investment in public charging infrastructure gather momentum. Local councils have an important role to play in expanding the UK’s EV charging infrastructure, giving drivers access to publicly available chargepoints in every town and city in the UK. Of course, alongside this we will need investment in home charging too in order to ensure that we create a robust charging network that enables everyone to benefit from an electric future.”

NOTES

Clarification

This story was updated on 2 November. Following a request from Central Bedfordshire Council we have removed them from the list of councils with no plans for EV charging points. At the point of the freedom of information request they responded that plans were ‘to be determined’ – they have since received grant funding to allow them to proceed with increasing the number of EV charge points in Central Bedfordshire.

Notes to editors

  • In summer 2022, British Gas submitted a Freedom of Information request to UK councils requesting the following information:
  1. How many electric vehicle charging points have been installed in the local authority to date?
  2. How many electric vehicle charging points does the authority plan to install in the next 12 months?
  • Data and regional comparisons are taken solely from those councils that responded to both questions in the Freedom of Information request.
  • The 23 councils that expressed no plans to install charging points in the next 12 months are:
  1. East Cambridgeshire
  2. Lancaster
  3. East Hampshire
  4. Havant
  5. Lancashire
  6. Surrey Heath
  7. Melton
  8. Erewash
  9. Maidstone
  10. Calderdale
  11. Knowsley
  12. Peterborough
  13. Dartford
  14. Somerset West and Taunton
  15. Midlothian
  16. Lincoln
  17. Orkney
  18. Test Valley
  19. Fenland
  20. Mid Ulster
  21. City of London
  22. Ribble Valley
  23. Bolsover