Leeds has activated its first public on-street electric vehicle charge point in the city centre, marking the beginning of a privately funded infrastructure rollout designed to support the leeds economy transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles.
The four-bay charge point on St Paul’s Street will be followed by 70 additional installations across the city in 2026, all financed by charging operator Believ in partnership with Leeds City Council. The locations span on-street parking, residential areas, community halls, sports centres and city centre sites.
“As a city, we are striving to become the first net zero city in the UK by reducing carbon emissions and reversing the decline in biodiversity, by supporting people to make more sustainable choices.
Although the best choice is always cycling, walking or travelling by public transport, we know that this is not always an option.
We want to make it easy for people to switch to electric or hybrid vehicles and this first public on-street EV charge point is an important step towards delivering a comprehensive charging network that meets the needs of our residents and visitors.”
Leeds Economy Benefits from Private Infrastructure Investment
The fully funded rollout by Believ represents a commercial bet on Leeds’ electric vehicle adoption trajectory, with the company banking on sufficient demand to justify installing and maintaining charging infrastructure without upfront council capital expenditure. This model allows Leeds to expand EV infrastructure without competing for limited municipal budgets against other transport priorities.
“We’re proud to be supporting Leeds with the installation of its first on-street EV charge point and to be working in partnership with the council to expand charging access across the city. Believ’s fully funded rollout will help deliver a reliable charging network, supporting residents and visitors to make the switch to electric vehicles. This is an important step in helping Leeds achieve its net zero ambitions and build a more sustainable transport network for the future.”
The installations form part of Leeds’ Connecting Leeds transport strategy, which aims to facilitate electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle adoption as the city pursues its ambition to become the UK’s first net zero city. However, the initial four-bay installation highlights the scale challenge ahead, with Leeds needing significantly more charging infrastructure to support widespread EV adoption across a city of over 800,000 residents.
Why this matters for Leeds
This public-private partnership demonstrates how Leeds can deliver sustainable transport infrastructure at pace, positioning the city as a leader in the transition to zero-emission mobility while creating the charging network that removes barriers for residents and businesses committed to cleaner transport choices.
