The Government has revealed plans to increase the number of electric vehicle charge points from 30,000 to 300,000 by 2030.

The Department for Transport’s announcements is part of the new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy and will see £500 million invested in the installation of public charge points across the UK.

This will be focused on helping drivers who do not have access to off-street parking, as well as fitting fast chargers that can quickly top batteries up for longer journeys.

The existing £950m Rapid Charging Fund is also in place to support the installation of at least 6,000 rapid chargers on England’s motorways by 2035.

As well as installing new chargers, new standards and legislation are also being introduced to improve user experience. For example, operators must provide real-time data for consumers to check the status of a charger and compare prices.

They must also accept contactless payments and have a 99 per cent reliability rate.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We’re powering ahead with plans to help British people go electric, with our expanding charging network making journeys easier right across the country.

“Clean transport isn’t just better for the environment, but is another way we can drive down our dependence on external energy supplies.

“It will also create new high-skilled jobs for our automotive and energy sectors and ultimately secure more sustainable and affordable motoring for all.”

Upgrading the UK’s charging infrastructure is considered a vital step in helping to improve EV uptake. In 2030, new cars can only be sold if they have some form of electrification, with only EVs being sold from 2035.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “No matter where you live – be that a city centre or rural village, the north, south, east or west of the country, we’re powering up the switch to electric and ensuring no-one gets left behind in the process.”