Rotherham Council is set to join a South Yorkshire-wide programme that could deliver up to 1,500 new electric vehicle charging points, strengthening the region’s transport infrastructure for employers, fleet operators, and commercial sites. The expansion aligns with rising EV uptake and the borough’s long-term plans to ensure businesses can depend on accessible, reliable public charging.
Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Jobs and the Local Economy, Cllr John Williams, said: “In June this year, 25% of all new car registrations in the UK were electric vehicles, and over the coming years that proportion will only grow. As a result, we will need to step up our efforts to ensure that our public charging infrastructure keeps up with the level of demand.
“Of course, many people who choose to buy an EV now will be able to charge it at home or at work. But this government grant, managed by the Mayor of South Yorkshire’s office, gives us the funding we need to meet our objective of ensuring that a majority of Rotherham households are within walking distance of public charging points, helping to address concerns about households for whom off-street charging is not possible.”
The scheme directs roughly £1.6 million of government funding to Rotherham, guaranteeing at least 500 new public chargers and providing long-term support for commercial districts, retail centres, and business parks. The investment complements planning policies that already require EV provision in new industrial, retail, and office developments.
Rotherham has added more than 100 public charging bays over the last decade. Demand forecasts indicate the borough will need at least 1,200 public chargers within 15 years to maintain accessibility for employees, logistics vehicles, and customers.
The programme is part of the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund and will be delivered by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. Subject to formal approval across all four South Yorkshire councils, deployment is expected to begin in late 2025 or early 2026.
