Published: Monday, 26th January 2026
Hundreds of new charging points are set to be installed thanks to a £3 million drive to ensure the city can support people making the switch to electric vehicles over the next five years.
The council's newly-published Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy outlines what needs to be done to provide the public electric vehicle (EV) charging points as the number of EVs on the city’s roads looks set to increase significantly by 2030.
Latest figures show that there are now 2,600 EVs currently registered in Stoke-on-Trent but, by 2030, it is estimated that 25 per cent of all cars on the city’s roads will be electric.
At the moment, Stoke-on-Trent has 115 public charging points - predominantly located in service stations and retail parks. To address the increasing demand for sockets, this number needs to rise to over 800 sites within the next five years.
The Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has allocated the council £2.4 million in Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding to invest in the installation and commercialisation of accessible public charging infrastructure in residential areas with limited private off-street parking.
Additional LEVI funding of £480,000 has been allocated for delivery of cross pavement charging solutions, which allow residents who don’t have off-street parking to charge EVs at home without trailing charging cables across the pavement. Also known as cable gullies, these are usually enclosed channels in the pavement that safely fit the charging cable.
The strategy document, which has been approved by the council's cabinet, outlines how the money will be spent. The plan will include:
* A LEVI Pilot Scheme – delivering a minimum of 60 on-street and public car park charging sockets by 2027.
* A LEVI Capital Project – with an estimated delivery of over 1,000 charging sockets.
* Cross Pavement Charging Solutions – £480,000 LEVI funding secured to subsidise cross pavement charging solutions for residents without off-street parking.
The EV Infrastructure Strategy underwent a six-week period of public consultation during September and October 2025. The main focus of the consultation was to obtain feedback, via an online survey, regarding the content of the Strategy’s delivery plan and to seek local opinion on the types of EV charging facilities which should be provided - and where.
A total of 81 per cent of responses approved of the overall delivery programme plans; 66 per cent were in support of installing residential charging at on-street and local car park locations; and 88 per cent were in favour of installing faster charging option on public car parks.
Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure and regeneration at Stoke-on-Trent City, said: We’re taking a proactive approach to ensure the city’s EV charging network is ready as the demand for zero emission vehicles increase - and to make sure the network we put in place is accessible to all residents and businesses.
“We’re also prioritising areas with poor air quality, neighbourhoods where off-street parking isn’t an option, and communities that have been underserved for too long.
“This strategy also reflects our shared commitment to a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future for Stoke-on-Trent.”
People looking to find out more about the suitability of installing a cross pavement gully outside their property and to start the application process should email the council’s EV Team at: LEVI@stoke.gov.uk
To recommend any locations across the city for the installation of public charging infrastructure, whether on street or in public car parks, people can email comments to LEVI@stoke.gov.uk.
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