£1m fund bid to help motorists go electric

ALMOST £1 million of government cash is being sought for electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

Leicestershire and Rutland county councils, together with Lincolnshire, Herefordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, are seeking £935,355 from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (Levi) pilot.

They said the money, if approved, could unlock a further £2.8 million from the private sector to install a total of 349 public electric vehicle (EV) charging points across the Midlands.

In Leicestershire, the funding would be used to deliver up to 100 EV charging points across all seven districts.

The majority would be on-street chargers in residential areas, alongside some publicly available chargers in county council-owned car parks and other sites, including libraries.

Analysis last year by Midlands Connect found Leicestershire needs 1,487 more public EV charging points by the end of 2025 to meet growing demand.

At present, 93 per cent of electric vehicle owners have access to off-road parking.

It is hoped increasing the number of public charging stations will make it easier for those without a driveway to make the switch to electric.

Maria Machancoses, chief executive of Midlands Connect, which is backing the bid, said: “It’s clear the electric vehicle revolution is well under way in Leicestershire.

“It’s vital that we act now to install the infrastructure motorists need.”

Leicestershire County Council leader Nick Rushton said: “This investment will help residents make greener choices and, crucially, underpin public confidence in the EV market.

“Given the rural nature of our county, it’s essential we have a comprehensive network of public charging points so motorists can travel without the worry of finding a place to power up, and residents without driveways know they can charge their vehicles close to home.”