Leeds is one of the worst places in the UK for electric car charging locations, new research reveals.
A large number of electric cars are registered in the city; 4,440 according to the DVLA.
But there were just 58 charging points* within the Leeds City Council area, according to Open Charge Map (OCM).
Some of these charging locations are publicly accessible and have multiple charging points. For example, Woodhouse Lane Car Park has 10 points.
But some of these charging points are not publicly accessible, says OCM - a website which maps the UK's electric car charging points.
That means Leeds has a rate of just 13.1 charging locations per 1,000 electric vehicles licensed.
That places the city in the bottom 20 per cent for charging locations per electric vehicle in the UK, according to the research carried out by the BBC.
By comparison, Manchester has a rate of 112.9 charging locations per 1,000 electric vehicles licensed while York has a rate of 117.0.
However, Leeds City Council has disputed the OCM figure. The council says there are approximately 70 charging locations within the council area.
A Leeds City Council spokesperson, said: "There are currently more than 200 publicly accessible EV (electric vehicle) charge points across Leeds operated by both the public and private sector and more are being installed every week.
"The council is working hard to support the development of charge point infrastructure as part of our plans to tackle air pollution and protect the health of everyone in the city.
"We’re encouraging developers to include charge points as part of new planning applications for car parking and are working with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and ENGIE to install an additional 30 charge points across the city by February 2020."
Petrol and diesel vehicles are one of the biggest contributors to air pollution and climate change and so the government is trying to encourage drivers to switch to ultra-low or zero emissions vehicles.
The government aims to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040.
But AA president Edmund King says the EV revolution is not happening as quickly as was hoped.
He said: "Most drivers still see too many barriers to their early adoption of EVs despite the Government’s commitment to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars even by 2040.
"The AA argues that many of these perceptions are myths rather than reality and hence broader concerted efforts are required to convince the public of the wide benefits of EVs, but that is unlikely to be achieved by 2032.
"The EV revolution hasn’t perhaps taken off as quickly as we would have liked but we need a firm commitment to a reliable and more extensive charging infrastructure, as well as, future-proofing houses, offices and strategic roads. There are now some exciting EVs on the market and many new and exhilarating models on the horizon. The younger generation in particular are ready to embrace the electric revolution."
* correct as of February 6, 2019
Local authorities with the most electric car charging locations per electric vehicle
Region/Local Authority |
No. of charging locations |
No. of licensed fully electric or plug in hybrid cars, LGVs and quadricycles |
Rate of charging locations per 1,000 vehicles licensed |
Na h-Eileanan Siar* |
23 |
24 |
958.3 |
Fermanagh and Omagh |
32 |
62 |
516.1 |
Highland |
85 |
272 |
312.5 |
Derry City and Strabane |
25 |
83 |
301.2 |
Shetland Islands* |
13 |
45 |
288.9 |
Causeway Coast and Glens |
30 |
112 |
267.9 |
Powys |
46 |
177 |
259.9 |
Gwynedd |
32 |
125 |
256.0 |
Middlesbrough |
13 |
53 |
245.3 |
Newry, Mourne and Down |
28 |
115 |
243.5 |
Source: BBC
Police to clamp down on pavement parking in east Leeds
And the fewest...
Region/Local Authority |
No. of charging locations |
No. of licensed fully electric or plug in hybrid cars, LGVs and quadricycles |
Rate of charging locations per 1,000 vehicles licensed |
Caerphilly |
1 |
104 |
9.6 |
Waverley |
5 |
571 |
8.8 |
Portsmouth |
13 |
1561 |
8.3 |
North Dorset |
1 |
152 |
6.6 |
Slough |
35 |
6009 |
5.8 |
Hinckley and Bosworth |
1 |
183 |
5.5 |
Gloucester |
13 |
2916 |
4.5 |
Birmingham |
61 |
15115 |
4.0 |
Swindon |
16 |
4588 |
3.5 |
Peterborough |
21 |
10022 |
2.1 |
Source: BBC
Quad bike and trial bike menace spreading through Leeds 'like cancer'
LeedsLive has launched a WhatsApp group to keep you up to date with the latest news! Click here to join and follow the instructions on your phone. Your number won't be shared with anyone else in the group.
