Westminster has the most eco-friendly drivers in Britain

The authority ranked top in terms of ultra-low emission car ownership, according to GOV.UK.

Overall, 28% of all licensed vehicles in the London borough are considered ultra-low emission. Stockport, Greater Manchester, came second, with 27% of all vehicles running on battery, plug-in hybrid and other electric system. 

The City of London, Windsor & Maidenhead, and Slough complete the top five. Peterborough, Swindon, Milton Keynes, Hammersmith & Fulham, and South Gloucestershire also featured in the list. Stirling came out tenth, with just 12% of all licensed vehicles classed as some form of ultra-low emission. 

The dominance of councils in South East England and London is unsurprising. A 2022 study showed the capital was home to 31.7% of the UK’s total EV charge points, with Westminster among the fastest to roll them out. Earlier this month, Believ’s Local Authority Insight Report showed that charge point creation was stalling, despite Government initiatives, and urgently needed more investment. 

The analysis showed no local authority in the UK has managed to fully implement its EV plans, and just 13% expect to achieve that ‘soon’. More worryingly in terms of projected growth in ownership, 34% of councils have no formal EV infrastructure plan, and overall national coverage falls well short of where it needs to be if Downing Street is to get the 300,000 charge points policy wants by 2030.  

‘It is interesting to see mostly southern local authorities in the top ten best locations for environmentally conscious drivers,’ said a spokesperson for Claims.co.uk, which commissioned the ownership study. ‘In 2024, Zap-Map recorded 18,628 electric vehicle charging stations in Greater London compared to only 4,696 in Scotland. Therefore, with a greater emphasis on funding electric vehicle charging stations in Northern England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, these areas may become more accessible for electric vehicle drivers in the future.’

More on electric vehicles: 

https://environmentjournal.online/headlines/warrington-switches-on-electric-buses-in-new-emissions-drive/

https://environmentjournal.online/headlines/uks-new-council-for-net-zero-transport-could-accelerate-transition/

https://environmentjournal.online/headlines/confectionary-giant-announces-switch-to-electric-trucks-for-european-logistics/

Image: Vitalijs Barilo