EV drivers across the UK face a “postcode lottery” when seeking public charge points, according to new data showing stark regional disparities in charging infrastructure.
Westminster leads with 2,746 public chargers, while London and southern England dominate access to fast-growing charging networks. The contrast becomes clear when examining northern cities.
Five major northern cities – Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, and Sheffield – serve a combined population of 2.7 million with just 2,485 public chargers.
Coventry alone matches this infrastructure despite having only 350,000 residents. The West Midlands city operates 2,746 public chargers – equal to what five major northern cities share between them.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £200 million in the recent Autumn Budget to help local councils support public charging initiatives. Experts warn this funding needs consistent guidance from Westminster to help authorities install chargers effectively.
Regional Disparities Create Two-Tier System
“The scale of the disparity is impossible to ignore,” said Ginny Buckley, chief executive of EV advice site Electrifying. “Coventry has over 750 chargers per 100,000 people, every one of the Northern Five has fewer than 100, and Westminster tops the chart with more than 1,300 per 100,000.”
Not a single area in the top ten for public charging sits in the North, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
“This isn’t about geography – it’s about consistency. Some councils are innovating with charging gullies and street solutions, while others can’t get schemes off the ground. We urgently need a joined-up, national approach that gives local authorities the guidance, expertise and confidence to install the right chargers in the right places.”
The regional imbalance risks creating a two-tier system where EV owners in London and the South enjoy comprehensive charging networks while northern drivers face insufficient infrastructure.
Councils Need Capacity and Confidence
John Lewis, CEO at UK charge point provider char.gy, highlighted Coventry City Council as proof that rapid infrastructure deployment isn’t limited to London.
“Coventry is proof that rapid rollout isn’t a London-only story,” Lewis explained. “It’s what happens when a council has clarity, capability and committed partners.”
Many councils want similar results but face barriers including planning constraints and grid capacity limitations.
“Funding matters, but it doesn’t fix these bottlenecks. If we want to end the postcode lottery, we need to give every council what Coventry already has – the confidence and capacity to get chargers in the ground quickly and in the right places.”
The UK’s charging network has grown over 20% year-on-year, with more than 86,000 charge points now installed nationwide. Chargepoint installations outside London increased by 23.4% between October 2024 and 2025.
Despite this growth, the concentration of infrastructure in southern regions continues to challenge the UK’s transition to electric vehicles.
