£2.2m for Electric Vehicle Charge Points in North Yorkshire

North Yorkshire is to benefit from £2.2m of funding to build residential chargepoints.

Drivers in North Yorkshire will have better access to electric vehicle chargepoints, after being awarded £2.2m through a new pilot backed by £20 million of government and industry funding announced today (August 24).

Through the innovative Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme, North Yorkshire Council and industry will work together to create new, commercial EV charging infrastructure for residents, from on-street chargepoints to larger petrol station-style charging hubs.

The rollout supports the Government’s drive to encourage more motorists to go electric, which it says can save drivers money on fuel and running costs, and improve air quality as the country moves towards net zero.  

The county council’s proposals, for 140 chargepoints at locations across each of the county’s seven boroughs and districts will see each area get 20 chargers.

The decision will be particularly welcomed by drivers without off-road parking who are unable to charge their vehicles at home.

North Yorkshire devised a scheme to install chargepoints alongside battery storage units, which will be charged by solar panels, making them environmentally friendly.

Technology has been chosen which is also sympathetic to the rural locations where they will be installed.

The county council’s executive member for climate change, Cllr Greg White, said:

“The switch to electric vehicles is necessary as North Yorkshire moves towards becoming carbon zero, but the rural nature of the county presents some significant challenges.

“We worked hard to come up with an innovate scheme which will begin to provide the answers motorists need if they are to have the confidence to go electric.

“The Government clearly saw the merit in our plans and we are delighted that we will now be able to press ahead with this work. It is an important step in our plans to ensure the county has an EV charging network which can meet everyone’s needs.”

The scheme will help residents without private driveways to have better access to EV chargers, as well as growing the charging network across the country, supporting the nation’s uptake of zero emission vehicles and enabling more people to drive and charge without fear of being caught short, no matter where they are.

The pilot is backed by £10 million of government funding and will see North Yorkshire Council awarded £2m local authorities funding in the first tranche of the planned £450 million scheme, supported by £200,000 of funding from industry.

Decarbonisation Minister Trudy Harrison said:

“We want to expand and grow our world-leading network of EV chargepoints, working closely with industry and local government, making it even easier for those without driveways to charge their electric vehicles and support the switch to cleaner travel.

“This scheme will help to level up electric vehicle infrastructure across the country, so that everyone can benefit from healthier neighbourhoods and cleaner air.”

Edmund King OBE, AA president, said:

“It is essential that more on-street chargers are delivered to boost the transition to zero emission vehicles for those without home charging.

“This injection of an extra £20 million funding will help bring power to electric drivers across England from Durham to Dorset. This is one further positive step on the road to electrification.”

The scheme will allow local authorities to provide feedback on how to grow the network and the role the private sector can play.

The new LEVI fund builds on the success of the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) which has seen nearly 2,900 chargepoints installed so far with funding provided for approaching 10,000 additional chargepoints in the future.

Following growing demand from local authorities, we’re also announcing a further £10 million in funding which has been brought forward for this year, bringing this year’s ORCS funding to £30 million to help maintain ongoing installations.