Electric vehicles are on the charge in Wiltshire

WILTSHIRE has the most privatelyowned purely electric vehicles of any area of the UK outside of London, according to new figures.

It comes as the number of such vehicles on UK roads has increased by 53 per cent in a 12-month period.

Some 86,130 of the vehicles were licensed as of the end of September last year, compared with 56,393 at the same point in 2019.

Four of the 10 local authority areas with the largest number of privatelylicensed battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are in London, led by Barnet with 1,235.

Wiltshire has the second highest number (1,075 vehicles), followed by Westminster in central London (919), Cornwall (899) and Camden, north London (781).

The areas with the smallest number of BEVs – apart from some island communities and the City of London – are in South Wales.

Merthyr Tydfil has just 21 of the vehicles, while Blaenau Gwent has 27.

The figures are based on RAC analysis of Government data.

The sale of new petrol and dieselfuelled cars and vans will be banned in the UK from 2030.

RAC data insight spokesman Rod Dennis said: “The growth in pure electric vehicles is extremely promising.

“There is a long way to go, not least as only half of these vehicles are in private hands, compared with nine in 10 of all cars, but it’s clear that the numbers are only going one way.

“It’s important that the environmental and financial benefits afforded by the switch to electric cars are shared by drivers right across the country.

“Our analysis shows the extent to which the South and East of England currently dominate when it comes to the numbers that are currently in private hands.”

BORIS Johnson will announce the outcome of the Government’s far-ranging review of foreign and defence policy on March 16, Downing Street has said.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said it would be followed on March 22 by the publication of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) detailed plans for the modernisation of the Armed Forces.

The spokesman said Mr Johnson had asked the Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, to continue in his role until the end of November to oversee the changes.

General Carter, 62, who is in his third year in the post, had been expected to retire in June of this year.

The announcement comes as Sir Stephen Lovegrove, the MoD’s permanent secretary, is due to move to the Cabinet Office to become the new National Security Adviser.