Two Staffordshire councils have won a share of £39.3 million of funding to support the delivery of an electric vehicle charging network.
Staffordshire County Council is to receive £4.588 million from the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, whilst Stoke-on-Trent City Council has been allocated £2.693 million.
The councils are two of 13 local authorities to create two partnerships across the region to bid for the funding alongside sub-national transport body Midlands Connect.
The fund aims to help local councils scale up the delivery of local charge points, allowing more residents, especially those without off street parking, to switch to EVs. Charge points will be installed between 2024 and 2028.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport David Williams said: “It’s great news that our funding allocation to support the implementation of Staffordshire’s electric vehicle charging network has now been confirmed.
“Our partnership strategy has identified where the most appropriate places for charging points could be and how we will work with the private sector to facilitate successful delivery.
“We will work with businesses to encourage workplace charging and residents to support off-street charging, in addition to people and organisations making planning applications.
“We understand that electricity may not be the only type of alternative power for vehicles in future years, but it’s vital that we have our local electric vehicle infrastructure in place as soon as possible.”
Earlier this year, the county council approved Staffordshire’s public electric vehicle charging strategy that sets out plans on how the authority will meet the needs of communities and businesses as electric vehicle use continues to increase.
The authority is working closely with district and borough councils across the county, private providers and the energy sector.
With sales of new petrol and diesel engine cars restricted from 2030 and new hybrid vehicles by 2035, councils across the country have been asked by central government to support the transition through strategies to boost availability of charging points.
Analysis by Midlands Connect found the Midlands needs 17,461 new public EV charging points by the end of 2025 to meet the needs of the growing EV market.
Estimates suggest the installation and maintenance of electric vehicle charging points will also create an influx of jobs in the region, with over 42,000 related roles set to be created in the Midlands by the end of 2032.
And Daily Focus reported last month that Midlands Connect estimates a quicker uptake of electric vehicles in the region could be worth nearly £9 billion in economic benefits.
Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect, pictured above, said: “We are delighted the Government has allocated funding over £39.3m for 13 councils across the Midlands. This will really help the region to charge ahead of the pack.”
She added: “This is a vital next step in our efforts to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the region ahead of the phase out of sales of new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2030.
“This funding will improve the lives of those living in the Midlands, particularly for those who do not have access to off-street parking and may struggle to charge their vehicle otherwise.”
