Council's proposal to install up to 1,500 new EV chargers

Rotherham is set to benefit from a new initiative aimed at installing up to 1,500 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations as part of a 1.6 million government investment into local infrastructure. The Rotherham Council is poised to approve a proposal during a cabinet meeting on December 15, which guarantees the installation of at least 500 new public charging points.

This effort is part of the Council's Public EV Infrastructure Strategy, a plan introduced in March 2024. The strategy's long-term goal is to ensure that by 2040, most residents in Rotherham live within 800 meters (roughly half a mile) of an EV charger. This project aims to improve access to EV charging options, particularly for households that cannot install chargers at their own properties.

John Williams, Cabinet Member for Transport, explained that this initiative is essential in response to the growing number of electric vehicles on the road. "In June of this year, 25% of all new car registrations in the UK were electric, and that percentage will continue to rise," he said. "We must ensure our public charging infrastructure evolves alongside this shift in the market."

The council highlighted that over the past decade, more than 100 public parking spaces have been equipped with charging points. However, they project that over the next 15 years, at least 1,200 charging stations will be required to meet demand.

If approved, the installation process will commence by late December 2025 or early January 2026. Funding for the scheme is provided by the Government's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, and it will be managed by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) with the Rotherham Council overseeing the project.

Author: Benjamin Carter