Robert Largan MP has welcomed the news that Derbyshire is set to receive £7,312,000 as part of the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Scheme.

£6.6 million of this will be used to significantly scale up the delivery of local charge points, enabling more people to switch to electric vehicles.

The Conservative Government has allocated a total of £343 million of capital funding to local authorities across England over the next two financial years, which will also help incentivise further private investment to ramp up the development of electric vehicle infrastructure across the country.

A further £37.8 million of capability funding, of which £708,000 is earmarked for Derbyshire, will ensure local authorities have dedicated staff to plan and deliver the new charging infrastructure.

Expanding the existing network of charging infrastructure is key to fully unlocking the green and economic potential of electric vehicles, as the UK seeks to reach its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The new fund comes as efforts to decarbonise transport progress further and faster, with both the phasing out of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, and the installation of approximately 300,000 chargepoints, by 2030.

Nearly 40,000 publicly available chargepoints, including over 7,400 rapid devices, have already been installed, with over 600 new chargers being added each month. As a result, no driver is ever more than 25 miles from a rapid chargepoint anywhere along England’s motorways and A roads.

Additionally, over 377,000 domestic chargepoint installations have already benefitted from government grants, alongside 39,000 sockets for UK businesses.

Robert Largan, MP for High Peak, commented:

“I’m really pleased to have helped secure over £7 million to boost electric vehicle infrastructure in Derbyshire.

“This will make a big difference not only for all those across the High Peak who already own electric vehicles, but also those who will do so over the coming years, as we phase out petrol and diesel cars and vans.

“This grant demonstrates that the Government is backing up its bold ambitions with action. Our target to hit net zero by 2050 is both a responsibility and an opportunity.

“The High Peak is a special place. I will continue to fight to ensure that we protect it for future generations.”