Council sees increase in numbers using electric vehicle charging points

Drivers in Shropshire have been making the most of electric vehicle (EV) charging points installed by Shropshire Council across the county.

According to the latest data collected by highways and climate officers, the number of motorists using the publicly accessible charging points is increasing steadily, and their use has contributed to saving 1.5 tonnes of carbon.

Electric vehicle on-street chargepoint

The latest statistics reveal:-

• More than 1,100 charging sessions, by in excess of 400 separate users, since February 2023
• Chargers in Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth and Ellesmere are being particularly well used
• The number of charging sessions in April up 80% on use in February, whilst the number of users almost doubled in the same period
• Almost 16,000 units of electricity used to charge EVs using this equipment, equivalent to around 5,226 miles of travel, saving around 1.5 tonnes of carbon by comparison with conventional petrol and diesel vehicles.

Last year a total of £902,940 was awarded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), with support of the Energy Saving Trust, to enable the installation of on-street charge points for local residents wishing to charge their plug-in electric vehicles.

Market Drayton, Much Wenlock, Shrewsbury and Wem were among the first towns to benefit. Shropshire Council has also installed EV chargers in its car parks in Ludlow and Bishop’s Castle and is planning to install more in towns and villages across the county, to help ensure that both residents and visitors can be confident that they will be able to charge their vehicles locally.

Ian Nellins, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for climate change, environment and transport, said:-

“It’s fantastic to see the progress we are making with EV infrastructure in Shropshire and that it is being supported by drivers too.

“More EVs are coming to Shropshire’s roads every month and the numbers will continue to grow, further emphasising the need for Shropshire Council to continue with plans to deliver an EV charging infrastructure that meets the needs of residents and visitors.

“EVs are much better for the environment as they give off less pollution and greenhouse gases, and that has already been demonstrated with the carbon emissions that have been saved so far.

“It’s so important we have EV chargers that are accessible to everyone, and not only to those people with off-road parking such as driveways or garages. I look forward to seeing these being installed in other areas in the near future.”

The OZEV grant is being used in towns expected to have the largest number of plug-in vehicles on their roads, and the installations will move Shropshire from 65th out of 375 council areas for the number of public charge points available, to 11th place – or within the top three per cent nationwide.