According to new research from Uswitch.com, Stoke-on-Trent, Southend and Birmingham are among the cities that could benefit most from the Government’s £500 million ‘Rapid Charging Fund’.

The funding aims to support the increase of electric vehicles (EVs) on the UK’s roads through the installation of new public charging points.

The funding, details of which were released by the transport secretary Grant Shapps, at the Government’s daily update on Thursday May 14, suggests that 2,500 rapid charging stations will be installed across England by 2030, rising to 6,000 by 2035. This will also see the end of the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles.

According to new research as part of Uswitch.com’s ‘Electric Nation’ study, some parts of the UK are much less prepared for the rise of EVs than others.

With just one public charging point for each of the city’s 268 electric vehicles - the lowest in the UK - Stoke-on-Trent would benefit significantly from the new funding to encourage its drivers to go green. Just ahead was Southend (one charging point to every 202 EVs) and Birmingham (1 to 175).

Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “The funding will be instrumental in delivering a more sustainable future for the nation’s transport. It’s crucial though that this investment is spent wisely and is targeted towards the regions that need the funding most.

“While there is no obvious regional divide across the UK, it’s clear some locations are more prepared than others. We look forward to seeing how these changes can help bridge the gaps and impact what vehicles we see on our roads in the years to come.”

Top of the rankings for charging points was Bristol, where 23 electric vehicles each have access to their own public charging station. Milton Keynes (1 to 23) and Dundee (1 to 28) also lead the way in current provisions for EV drivers.

Top ten UK cities for EV charging provisions as of May 2020

  • Bristol - 22.9 EVs per charging point
  • Milton Keynes - 23.4 EVs per charging point
  • Dundee - 28 EVs per charging point
  • Oxford - 28.5 EVs per charging point
  • Brighton - 28.6 EVs per charging point
  • Sunderland - 30.7 EVs per charging point
  • Greater London - 35 EVs per charging point
  • Coventry - 35.4 EVs per charging point
  • Lancaster - 41.3 EVs per charging point
  • Exeter - 43.3 EVs per charging point

Bottom ten UK cities for EV charging provisions as of May 2020

  • Stoke-on-Trent - 268 EVs per charging point
  • Southend - 201.8 EVs per charging point
  • Birmingham - 174.9 EVs per charging point
  • Wolverhampton - 164 EVs per charging point
  • Bolton - 161.3 EVs per charging point
  • Hull - 157.4 EVs per charging point
  • Bradford - 149.2 EVs per charging point
  • Wakefield - 138 EVs per charging point
  • Preston - 131.9 EVs per charging point
  • Leicester - 122.7 EVs per charging point

Uswitch.com says that it's clear that local councils are putting effort into EV charging provisions in their towns and cities, as comparing the results from a previous study in April 2019, Coventry had made the biggest changes in provisions over the last year, installing more than 140 new charging stations - a rise of 293%. Sheffield (up 147%) and Derby (up 142%).

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