Number of Bedford electric vehicle charging points rises over last two years

Many residents have also installed at-home points too
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There are more public electric vehicle charging points in Bedford than there were two years ago, new figures show.

According to the Department for Transport, there were 105 publicly provided charging points in Bedford on January 1 – up from 34 two years ago.

Residents had also installed 806 at-home charging points through the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme as of January 1 – a 127% increase over the last two years, further Department for Transport figures outline.

According to the Department for Transport, there were 105 publicly provided charging points in Bedford on January 1 – up from 34 two years agoAccording to the Department for Transport, there were 105 publicly provided charging points in Bedford on January 1 – up from 34 two years ago
According to the Department for Transport, there were 105 publicly provided charging points in Bedford on January 1 – up from 34 two years ago

The scheme gives applicants a 75% grant towards the cost of installing the charging point up to £350.

There have also been 101 charging points installed at workplaces.

But with residents needing "designated, private off-street parking" for the Homecharge Scheme, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has argued more investment is needed for those who only have on-street parking.

Across the East of England, 101 charging points have been fitted as a part of the On-Street Residential Scheme, to which local authorities can apply to fund installations.

A further 124 applications have been approved since April 2019, but installation remains incomplete.

Separate figures from the SMMT show there are now more than 460,000 battery-electric cars in the UK, more than double the number two years before.

But a lack of charging points is putting people off from switching, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes argues.

He said: "The automotive industry is up for the challenge of a zero-emission new car and van market by 2035.

"Delivering this ambition needs more than automotive investment; it needs the commensurate commitment of all other stakeholders, especially the charging industry."

The Government announced major investment plans in charging infrastructure last month, totalling £1.6 billion across a range of schemes.

They include the already announced £950 million Rapid Charging Fund, to install more than 6,000 rapid chargers on England's motorways, and a £450 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure fund to address the shortfall of local charging points.

By 2030, the Government aims to provide 300,000 public charging points, 18 times the number a decade previously – and is aiming to entirely phase out petrol and diesel-powered cars by 2030.