£1.8m investment for region’s electric vehicle charging network

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is funding new electric vehicle charging points across the region, to support the growing numbers of people choosing to drive electric cars.

SYMCA is investing £1.8m in the scheme and has been working with Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Councils to create more than 160 new charging points, which will be fully operational starting from April.

South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said: “Right now pollution levels are too high in many of our communities, it’s particularly bad for our children’s health and it’s contributing to hundreds of premature deaths across the region.

“If we want to build a healthier and more sustainable South Yorkshire, and hit our Net Zero targets, then we need to make it easier for people to choose low emission ways of travelling around.

“That’s why we’re investing in electric buses. More people are choosing to buy electric vehicles so we’re also expanding the EV charging infrastructure to match our ambitions.”

The money for the charge points comes after SYMCA secured funding through the Northern Powerhouse and the Government’s Getting Building Fund and the North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub.

The points will be maintained and operated by Blink Charging Ltd.

Alex Calnan, UK managing director of Blink Charging, said: We are excited to be working with SYMCA and its partners on their journey to Net Zero.

“SYMCA is making EV charging accessible for all drivers, wherever they live or work, by providing a public charging network, comprising various charging models, across the region.

“It is a real pleasure to be working with the combined authority, and its component parts, to deliver an innovative and localised charging provision for drivers, wherever they choose to charge in South Yorkshire.”