Midlands councils collaborate to bring more EV chargers to the region
Local authorities across the midlands, including Derbyshire County Council have successfully submitted a bid for £39.3m for more EV chargers in our region.
A partnership between thirteen councils applied for funding from the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, alongside sub-national transport body, Midlands Connect.
Each local authority has been allocated an individual amount from the funding pot.
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 and it’s hoped this latest good news around the Government funding will spur on more region-wide installation of charging points.
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.
In 2022, Midlands Connect together with five councils secured £1million of funding through the LEVI Fund Pilot and that cash is expected to attract an additional £2.8m of private sector investment to roll out 322 standard and 27 rapid EV charging points across the Midlands. Charge points are expected to be installed for this project in summer 2024.
Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect, 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.”
“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.”
Find out more about Chesterfield Borough Council’s climate strategy, which outlines the council’s aim to become carbon neutral by 2030, and achieving net zero for the borough by 2050.
