Plans have been set in motion to install 1,000 extra electric vehicle charge points in Bradford District, across 230 locations, over the next two years, thanks to regional government funding.

The work is fully funded by grants from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capability Fund, in partnership with West Yorkshire Combined Authority. This totals a £3.1m investment in Electric Vehicle Charging with at no cost to Bradford Council.

The scheme, set to be completed by the end of 2027, will select sites from across the district with a high housing density and no off-street parking.  It will also consider accessibility, social value, pricing, ease of use and work with local communities to ensure infrastructure meets local needs.

According to research by Transport for the North, West Yorkshire will need between 10,600 and 11,980 publicly available charge points by 2030; around 2,000 are needed in Bradford. Additionally, between 4,580 and 5,100 destination charge points are estimated to be needed by 2030. Destination charge points are places where people spend extended periods of time, such as workplaces, restaurants or hotels.

This is one of many steps towards enabling electric vehicle ownership. Other EV charging solutions and infrastructure projects will come to fruition towards the end of the decade, much of which is led by the business sector.

We hosted the first in a series of Climate Action workshops, last month.

Around 60 people from a variety of  local services and sectors attended the event,  which highlighted the work that the council, partner organisations, and communities are doing to mitigate the climate crisis.

The session also brought together stakeholders to help shape the Net Zero vision for Bradford District, sharing ideas and solutions to tackle the related challenges of both climate change and biodiversity loss in ways that are fair and equitable.

Further in-person and online engagement sessions will take place during the summer, all of which will help to shape and finalise the Bradford District’s Climate Action Plan.

A recently-upgraded historic footpath along the River Worth has been officially launched, following funding from Keighley Towns Fund and Keighley Big Local.

Local environment charity the Aire River Trust, used the £56,312 grant from the owns fund, and £20,000 of funding from Big Local to resurface the Worth Way Walk. The 11-mile national trail connects Low Mill Lane to Woodhouse Road along the river through Keighley to Oxenhope.

The resurfacing of the path and the addition of new signage is part of a series of improvements designed to encourage more people to explore Keighley’s rivers and provide safe, green travel routes through the town. 

Volunteers from Aire Rivers Trust and the River Worth Friends cut back overgrowth and removed litter before work started on the new path. New ‘River Worth’ signs have been installed on river bridges through Keighley, as well as three cast-iron way marking signs, all designed and produced in the Keighley area.

A new River Worth information board has been installed on platform two of Keighley Station, and a walking guide can be accessed via a QR code on the information board or from Aire Rivers Trust website.

The work is part of a wider programme of work that the Trust is delivering along the River Worth to improve access and enhance habitats along the river Worth corridor. Other schemes include identifying misconnected sewers, creating new habitat for fish at Damen’s Nature Reserve and seeking out river restoration opportunities along the valley. Local groups or landowners interested in improving their river are invited to contact the Trust. 

Volunteers from the Aire River Trust’s “River Worth Restoration” project meet twice a week to litter pick, improve footpaths and care for spaces for nature along the Rivers Aire and Worth.

Big Local is a National Lottery funded programme run by the Local Trust which has awarded an area of Keighley £1 million to help improve quality of life for local residents. All decisions about how that money is spent have to be made by people who live, work or play in the area. 

Picture: Friends and volunteers launching the site.

Are you interested in improving sustainability in your business?

West Yorkshire Combined Authority is hosting peer sessions and webinars for local SMEs. 

This month's webinar is Design for the Circular Economy – from 2-3pm on Wednesday 26 February.   Discover how your business can design for a circular economy to reduce both costs and environmental impact, and where you can receive help.

An in-person Business Sustainabilty Peer Session is planned for Monday 24 March, 1.30pm – 4pm at Kala Sangam Arts Centre, 41 Bank Street, Bradford BD1 1RD. This is an opportunity to meet other like-minded businesses and discuss the challenges you face – whether it’s carbon reduction, waste management, sustainable procurement, access to funding, or staff engagement. 

Coming up in the SME webinar series:

•  Reduce your water footprint – Wednesday 26 March 2025, 2-3pm.  Discover the importance of water management, how to take cost-effective steps to reduce your water footprint, and where you can find support.

• Encourage Sustainable Travel - Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 2-3pm.  Discover how your business can adopt and implement actions that encourage sustainable travel and where you can find support.
• Identifying and avoiding greenwashing – Wednesday 25 June 2025, 2-3pm.  Discover how your business can correctly communicate sustainability success stories without the risk of greenwashing.