Damning data shows Newcastle far behind national average for electric car uptake

Newcastle is lagging well behind the national average when it comes to the uptake of electric cars, exclusive analysis by National World shows.

The percentage of ultra low emission vehicles being driven in the area is a lowly 0.79% in comparison to the national average of 1.42%.

Delving into the statistics deeper shows that Gateshead is the area with the fewest eco-minded cars, coming out at just 0.63%.

That figure is 0.67% in North Tyneside, 0.64% in South Tyneside and a significantly higher 0.84% in the Newcastle city centre.

One of the main aims of the COP26 conference, which comes to an end in Glasgow today, is to reduce emissions rapidly through phasing out fossil fuels, planting trees and boosting the take-up of electric cars.

The disparity between the Newcastle centre and surrounding areas also follows in the number of available charging points.

In Newcastle, there are 41.1 charging devices per 100,000 population - above the national average of 36.2.

However, that figure drops to 31.2 in Gateshead, 21.5 in North Tyneside and just 19.9 in South Tyneside.

Martyn Hetherington, Associate Member of the Institute of the Motor Industry, of West Moor Mot Centre Limited in Killingworth works with electric cars every day and said: "My opinion on the low uptake of electric vehicles in the area comes down to two things.

"Firstly is the lack of charging points in the North East that are available and working.

"Secondly is awareness of how to charge the vehicle.

"This more applies to someone who is looking to move directly from an internal combustion engine to full electric.

"Often people don’t know the very basics of how to charge the car.

"Overall, we need more charging points and also better education on the different ways we can charge our electric vehicles."