£15m to fuel electric dreams for Transport for West Midlands

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) has received a £15.7m boost today for its plan to install up to 12,000 electric vehicle chargers across the region in the next five years.

TfWM, a part of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), is collaborating with councils, private sector suppliers, and utility companies to design a program that will deliver various types of infrastructure, including nine larger ultra-rapid charging transit stations and thousands of smaller roadside low-power chargers.

The funding, from the Department for Transport’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, will be used alongside other funds to partially cover installation costs for local councils, businesses, and residents.

With this additional funding, along with TfWM’s existing budget, a total of £55m is now available.

This money will be used to attract private sector investment to speed up the deployment of charging infrastructure in the area.

Andy Steet, Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA said: “We recognise that there are many people and businesses who would like to make the switch to an electric vehicle but are worried about the lack of chargers – especially those who do not have their own driveway or garage.

“That is why we welcome this new £15m investment from the Department for Transport which will help us deliver a revolution in vehicle charging infrastructure, from smaller roadside chargers to faster charging hubs across our region. This will be added to funding we already have in place and private sector investment and, working with our member councils, will enable us to install up to 12,000 electric vehicle (EV) chargers across our region – targeting those areas which need them most.

“This is a crucial part of our plans to deliver a green transport revolution and help reduce pollution and tackle the climate emergency.”