Bedford Borough Council expands public EV charging network

Bedford Borough Council is expanding its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure by installing 260 public charging sockets. 

The sockets will be located across Bedford, Kempston and surrounding villages to help improve charging access for residents without access to off-street parking.  

This rollout aims to address one of the key barriers to EV adoption, as limited access to home charging continues to affect households without driveways. By increasing the availability of public charging infrastructure, the council hopes to make EV ownership more practical and accessible for residents. 

The charging points are being funded through the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, delivered by the Department for Transport’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles.  

Alongside the initial rollout, the council plans to further expand its network with more than 900 additional charging sockets to meet growing demand from both residents and visitors. 

Councillor Nicola Gribble, portfolio holder for environment, said: “Installing EV charging points across the Borough is making EV ownership more practical and accessible, and gives people greater confidence to choose an EV. The future of transport isn’t happening at some distant point; it’s already here. We are creating a cleaner, more connected future for residents and visitors across Bedford Borough.”