Yorkshire and Humber has worst electric vehicle charging network in Great Britain

The Union Connectivity Review revealed the region has just 21 public charging points per 100,000 people - just one quarter of the total available in London.

The only place in the United Kingdom with worse coverage is Northern Ireland, with just 17 charging points per 100,000 people.

The review said Yorkshire and Northern Ireland were "particularly underserved" - posing a risk to the Government's plans to phase out the sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 with drivers fearing "range anxiety" on whether electric cars will be able to reach charging points.

The review, conducted by Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy, sets out recommendations to create a strategic transport network across the UK.

One of the key recommendations of the report is to create a UKNet, which would map out the strategic locations across the country and plot how best to link them together, while also providing extra funding for underperforming areas of the network.

The report said improved provision of electric vehicle charge points would be key to UKNet having high environmental standards.

"The UK Government has also announced its intention to end the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 while the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan also supports the ongoing uptake of electric vehicles," the report states.

"The Welsh Government has pledged that by 2025, all users of electric vehicles across the country will be confident they can access charging infrastructure when and where they need it.

"However, the current distribution of the UK electric vehicle charging network is unequal, with some areas such as Northern Ireland and Yorkshire being particularly underserved. In response to this, the UK Government’s plans to publish an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy later this year which will set out an action plan for infrastructure rollout.

"In many cases, it will fall to local authorities and the devolved administrations to manage the rollout of this vital infrastructure. Practical and financial support from the UK Government would enable them to deliver a better provision of charging infrastructure to do this better and sooner. UKNet should be prioritised in this rollout to reduce range anxiety and support the sustainable movement of people and goods across the country."

London currently has the highest proportion of public charging points for its population, with 83 per 100,000 people. Scotland is second with 47, followed by the South East of England on 35.

Read more:

The Yorkshire areas with the highest use of electric cars

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