Electric Vehicles and Charging Infrastructure | East Staffordshire Borough Council

Electric vehicles (EVs) can help us achieve cleaner transport and air in East Staffordshire.

We are working to expand the network of charging points for electric vehicles across the borough and are pleased to publish our Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy outlining how we will support the uptake of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) by facilitating the growth of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure across the district over the next five years.

Download the ESBC Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy

The Councils Vehicle Fleet

As part of our commitment to reducing carbon emissions, we have added five new electric-powered vans to our fleet. Our goal is to replace all of our waste collection vehicles with low-emission alternatives by 2030.

We are currently conducting trials of different electric vehicles to determine their suitability for our future needs.

Additionally, we will be fully assessing our small mechanical sweeper fleet this year with the aim of introducing more electric vehicles to support our carbon-neutral agenda.

Why make the switch to EV?

Shifting away from fossil fuels is crucial to meet national carbon reduction goals and mitigate climate impacts, and with road transport being one of the biggest contributors to East Staffordshire’s carbon emissions, EVs have an important role to play.

As EV uptake rises locally and nationally in line with the 2035 petrol/diesel sales ban, the council aims to support residents considering the switch.

Our EV toolkit provides practical guidance on ownership, charging and more. We encourage learning about both the benefits EVs offer and any concerns, to make an informed decision on suitability for your household. Increased ownership and usage of electric vehicles are expected to grow and continue as we near the ban on new petrol and diesel cars by 2035.

Working alongside Staffordshire County Council we have developed an Electric Vehicle and Charging Infrastructure Toolkit that provides practical guidance on ownership, charging and more.

We hope this guide will help answer any questions you may have about making this transition.

For further advice about EVs visit: All you need to know about electric vehicles - Energy Saving Trust

More reasons to make the switch

Electric vehicles (EVs) offer several potential benefits compared to petrol or diesel cars that residents may wish to consider:

Recharging an EV can happen easily at home, at workplaces, or at public charging points across the area. This means no more detours to fuel up at petrol stations. Instead, you can conveniently charge while shopping, working, dining out or even overnight while sleeping.
Many EVs now have a driving range of over 200 miles on a single charge, which covers most people's daily needs. For longer trips, rapid chargers allow top-ups on-route.
EVs provide a quiet and relaxing driving experience, without loud engine noise or exhaust fumes. The simplicity makes them easy to operate.
By avoiding petrol and diesel, EVs produce no tailpipe emissions. Widespread EV adoption could help improve local air quality and public health.
With fewer moving parts than petrol/diesel vehicles, EVs tend to need less maintenance and suffer fewer breakdowns.

Where can I currently charge?

The map link below shows all currently publicly available electric vehicle charging points across the UK, including East Staffordshire.

Find a charging point near you

East Staffordshire Borough Council itself provides public EV charge points operating in two locations in the Borough:

Coopers Square (one rapid charger and two fast dual charge points capable of fast-charging two vehicles at once)
Trinity Square (one rapid charger)

We hope to have more to add to this list soon.

To find out more about these sites please visit our car parking page.

Grant schemes

The Government are offering various grant schemes to help cover the cost of installing home EV chargers.

For eligible businesses, charities and public sector organisations the Workplace Charging Scheme is a voucher-based scheme that provides support towards the up-front costs for EV charge points

Charging at home - EV charging cable crossing the pavement

Roads and highways are the responsibility of Staffordshire County Council, not East Staffordshire Borough Council.

Currently, the County Council does not permit any cable to be placed across the public highway; as it represents a health and safety hazard, and an impediment to the safe use of the highway by the visually and/or mobility impaired, or other affected user groups.

Under the Highways Act 1980, action may be taken to remove cables that are deemed unsuitable or unsafe.

We recognise the difficulties for people without off-street parking. To help with this, we are working alongside Staffordshire County Council to facilitate the development of a convenient and accessible network of charging points across the area.

Public Chargepoints

Staffordshire County Council is seeking input from residents to identify suitable locations for electric vehicle charging points as part of their allocation from the Central Government for Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure. They have created a survey to give you the chance to share your electric vehicle infrastructure needs, which will help them in providing targeted public infrastructure that meets demand. You can access the survey by clicking this link:

Lets Talk Transport: EV Survey

Further advice about EVs