Wakefield selects Blink Charging

Wakefield Council has selected Blink Charging UK to provide over 180 electric vehicle chargepoints.

Blink will install, own, and operate 54 on-street and 130 off-street EV chargers throughout the district.

The roll-out is backed by a £282,000 investment through the UK government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding secured by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA). 

The 184 new chargers will be installed within the next two years.

Wakefield’s EV charging programme aims to expand public EV charging accessibility for residents who lack access to home charging, thereby further supporting the adoption of electrified transportation. Wakefield, in collaboration with Blink, aims to ensure a minimum of 20% of the EV chargers considered in planning can provide seamless use for residents with a range of accessibility requirements.

“With more people switching to EVs, additional public EV charging is needed. The LEVI funding and Blink collaboration is important because it will increase the number of publicly available chargers at no cost to the council,” said Cllr George Ayre, cabinet member for climate and environment. “It means residents whose homes don’t allow for private EV chargers will only be a few minutes’ walk from a charger.”

The LEVI fund was introduced to drive the expansion of EV charging networks throughout the UK by supporting local authorities in installing public charging stations. By bridging the gap between national net-zero goals and practical EV adoption, LEVI is designed to make sustainable transport more accessible and convenient for communities across the country.

“Wakefield is taking purposeful action to improve access to EV charging, and we’re proud to have been selected to support its efforts towards building this future,” said Alex Calnan, managing director of Europe at Blink Charging. “Delivering reliable, strategically placed EV charging where most needed supports the adoption of EVs, making it a more practical option for more residents. Focusing on the development of Wakefield’s publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure is an essential step forward in making electric transportation a seamless part of everyday life across the district.”