The UK Government has announced additional funding worth £2.5m to set up electric car charging points on residential streets.

The extra funding will enable people without their own off-street charging to have better access to charging infrastructure near home. It also allows the installation of more than 1,000 new charge points.

The recent investment will support the UK’s move towards net zero emissions by 2050 and the country’s efforts to further enhance air quality.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s fantastic that there are now more than 20,000 publicly accessible chargepoints and double the number of electric vehicle chargepoints than petrol stations, but we want to do much more.

“It’s vital that electric vehicle drivers feel confident about the availability of chargepoints near their homes, and that charging an electric car is seen to be as easy as plugging in a smartphone.

“That’s why we are now doubling the funding available for local authorities to continue building the infrastructure we need to super-charge the zero-emission revolution – right across the country.”

The funding for the on-street residential chargepoints was allocated as part of the £1.5bn investment under the Road to Zero Strategy, one of the most comprehensive packages of support for the transition to zero-emission vehicles.

The government is also providing £37m to fund British engineering towards the development of the electric chargepoint infrastructure which could expand the chargepoint network in the UK.

Other innovations yet to receive investment include underground charging systems, solar-powered charging forecourts and wireless charging projects.