Bristol approves EV charging infrastructure strategy

The strategy also focuses on increasing the number of charge points at key destinations across the city, including supermarkets, leisure centres and popular visitor locations. This will allow drivers to top up their vehicles while shopping, exercising or enjoying local attractions, helping to integrate charging into everyday life.

Delivering this programme will involve close collaboration with partners including Bristol City Leap, the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and private charge point operators. By working together, the council aims to secure new investment, bring in technical expertise and ensure a reliable, growing network that meets the needs of a modern city.

Focus on accessibility

A strong focus on accessibility runs throughout the strategy. Charge points will be carefully placed to keep pavements clear and safe for disabled people, wheelchair users and those with limited mobility, ensuring that the shift to electric transport benefits everyone.

Placement of charge points will also prioritise disadvantaged communities to ensure access is fair across the city. The strategy commits to increasing the availability of faster charging options, giving drivers more choice between slower overnight charging and quicker top‑up facilities depending on their needs.

“We know that not everyone in Bristol has access to a driveway or private parking, especially in older terraced streets and denser neighbourhoods, so it’s essential that public charging becomes much easier and more convenient,” said councillor Ed Plowden, chair of the Transport and Connectivity policy committee.

“Our goal is simple: to make switching to an electric vehicle a realistic, practical option for many more residents”

“This strategy sets out how we will expand on‑street residential charging and introduce new community charging hubs in places people use every day – like neighbourhood centres, council car parks and local amenities. Some of this work has begun with the introduction of lamppost charging points and recent approval of a cross-pavement approach to charging vehicles for people without driveways.

“With electric vehicles becoming more affordable and more popular, we need to plan ahead so that our infrastructure keeps up with demand. Our goal is simple: to make switching to an electric vehicle a realistic, practical option for many more residents.”

In addition to supporting the city to improve air quality and cut emissions, the strategy also aims to prepare Bristol for impending national targets on the production of vehicles. 

The Department for Transport (DfT) has introduced a Zero Emission Vehicles Mandate, which sets annual targets for vehicle manufacturers on the proportion of vehicles they sell that must be zero emission. The mandate states that 38 per cent of cars sold in the UK in 2027 must be ZEVs, which rises sharply to 80 per cent in 2030 in order to reach 100 per cent by 2035.