- Electric vehicle registrations double to more than 74,000 in
the North of England as Government’s drive boosts tens of
thousands of green jobs and supports all regions to level
up
- Sales of new plug-in vehicles nationally rise by over 70% as
UK continues to accelerate towards net-zero transport
- Transport Secretary meets Northern leaders to expand public
electric vehicle charging across the region
Electric vehicles have more than doubled in the North of England,
revealed through new figures released today (24 May), as the
Government’s drive towards cleaner, affordable travel boosts tens
of thousands of green jobs across the UK.
New statistics show the UK’s transport revolution is well
underway, with electric vehicle (EV) registration numbers in the
North of England rising to 74,677 in 2021.
More than a quarter of a million EVs now travel on UK roads and
sales of plug-in vehicles have reached all-time highs, with
327,000 registered last year alone - a 77% rise compared to
2020.
The statistics were released by the Department for Transport
today, ahead of the Transport Secretary meeting with Northern
leaders and Mayors this afternoon, as part of the Northern
Transport Acceleration Council, to discuss green transport
innovation and the Government’s mission to build strong
infrastructure, transport links and economic growth in regions
across the nation.
The Secretary of State will discuss the Government’s recently
published Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, backed by
£1.6 billion funding, to boost on-street EV charging by tenfold
and eradicate so-called “range anxiety” across the
UK.
By 2030, the UK expects to reach 300,000 public electric vehicle
chargepoints by 2030 – equivalent to almost five times the number
of fuel pumps on our roads today.
Transport Secretary said: “With a £2.5
billion cash injection, the UK continues to be a global
front-runner in the switch to electric vehicles – helping drivers
to save money on fuel, while moving towards our net zero
targets.
“I’m pleased to be meeting with colleagues today to ensure the
North of England has the support it needs for an emission-free
transport future, as we clean up our air and support green jobs
across the nation.”
During the meeting, the Transport Secretary is expected to
highlight the UK’s world leading progress in the switch to EVs to
date, with around 600 new public chargepoints installed each
month and one of the most extensive networks of rapid charging in
Europe.
The Transport Secretary will also reaffirm the Government’s
commitment to ensuring all regions are equipped to go electric
and nowhere is left behind, with £500 million recently pledged to
transform local on-street charging and boost
reliability.
Not only is the UK’s move towards emission free transport
supporting up to 40,000 new automotive jobs, but it’s cleaning up
the country’s air with average CO2 emissions for cars decreasing
by 11% last year.
In the drive to net zero transport, the Government has committed
to phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by
2030, ensuring all drivers benefit from EVs and their
significantly lower running and refuelling costs.
This ambition, combined with billions of pounds of support from
the industry, will cement the UK’s leading position in the
design, manufacture and use of zero emission vehicles, which are
providing new economic opportunities by boosting employment,
investment and exports
