Bedford Borough EV charging point figures are double East of England average

Figures from July reveal the number of electric vehicle charging points per 100,000 people in Bedford Borough (49.8) is double the regional average (25). Commenting on the data Mayor Dave Hodgson said, "These figures show that there is nowhere better in the East of England to own an electric vehicle and we are committed to increasing numbers of charging points across Bedford Borough. This is an important part of driving down emissions and making sure we reach our commitment to be a net zero carbon council by 2030".

Bedford Borough also compares favourably to the national average of 36.3 EV charging points per 100,000 people. A similar story can be seen when examining the figures for rapid charging points, the most useful form of power for every day EV users. Again, Bedford Borough (10.9) has significantly more rapid charging devices than the national average (6.8) and almost double the regional average (5.9) per 100,000 people.

Councillor Charles Royden Portfolio Holder for Highways, Transport and Environment added, "We are leading by example installing charging points across the borough to encourage more residents to make the switch to EVs. We hope that this will have a significant impact on carbon emissions and air quality in our Borough. If you know of a location where you would like to see electric charging points please let us know and we will add them to our priority list to be installed next year. The government have consistently failed to follow up their words with real climate action. Their decision to cut the Plug-in Car Grant earlier this year is a clear sign that they cannot provide the strong action we need that will lead to a zero emissions future."

Please email highway.consultations@bedford.gov.uk to let the council know about any potential locations for more EV charging points.