ELECTRIC car charging points in Lancashire have increased by 745 per cent over the last two years.

Electricity North West says that it has drastically increased the number of charging points in the county since 2019 in order to help the North West tackle climate change and reach net zero carbon emissions.

The utility company's investment in the electric charging network has also increased by over 1,470 per cent in the same period.

Steve Cox, engineering and technical director at Electricity North West, said: “The jump in electric vehicle chargers being connected to the network is a significant sign that we are all starting to make the transition to a cleaner, greener future.

“As the network operator, it’s our job to make sure that everyone living and working in the North West can continue to depend on the network, just as they do now, even with all these rapid changes.

“This will perhaps be the most visible shift in the way we use energy but it will be just one of a number of huge transitions that we will all be making as part of the shift to Net Zero – and we’re determined to not only be ready for them all, but to lead the region through those changes with our expert advice and support.”

The expansion across Lancashire has seen 11 new electricity connections taking place in 2019, 63 in 2020 and 93 in 2021 so far.

These numbers don’t include standard home electric vehicle chargers which can be installed by an electrician and can run off of the home mains supply.

Electricity North West predicts that the North West could see up to a million electric cars on the road by the end of the decade and has installed the new connections in anticipation of this.

As part of its response to the pandemic and the opportunity the company says that it has created to drive a green recovery, Electricity North West has also proposed creating a £1 million fund to support yet more electric vehicle charging hubs along major A-roads across the region.