In March 2019 the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Shared Data Unit reported a "patchy" network of charging points was discouraging UK drivers from embracing electric cars.
Our analysis found more than a third of local authorities had ten or fewer locations where drivers could plug in their vehicles, with wide variation across the country.
We analysed data from Open Charge Map, a crowd-sourced website of charging locations. Not every location will feature in Open Charge Map, but it aims to be a "reliable single point of reference for charging equipment location information". There is no similar resource from the government.
As part of the story we used the to perform 49 million calculations for each distance (as the crow flies) between each of the 7,000 points, and then store the shortest one.
This piece of content was produced by a regional newspaper reporter working alongside Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ staff.
In a Twitter thread, Peter Sherlock
The Shared Data Unit makes data journalism available to news organisations across the media industry, as part of a partnership between the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and the News Media Association. Stories generated by the partnership included:
- MKFM: 5 April 2019
- The Scotsman: 5 April 2019
- The Darlington & Stockton Times: 5 April 2019
- Rochdale Online: 5 April 2019
- Stourbridge News: 5 April 2019
- Chronicle Live: 5 April 2019
- Leicestershire Live: 5 April 2019
- Stoke Sentinel: 5 April 2019
- York: The Press: 5 April 2019
- Wrexham and Flintshire: The Leader Live: 5 April 2019
- KL.FM: 5 April 2019
- The Scarborough News: 5 April 2019
- Bob FM: 5 April 2019
- Swindon Advertiser: 5 April 2019
- Bristol Live: 5 April 2019
- Cornish Stuff: 5 April 2019
- Nottinghamshire Live: 5 April 2019
- Nottinghamshire Live: 5 April 2019
- Cambridgeshire Live: 5 April 2019
- Stoke Sentinel: 5 April 2019
- Teeside Live: 5 April 2019
- Kent Live: 5 April 2019
- Derbyshire Live: 5 April 2019
- Romford Recorder: 8 April 2019
- Lynn News: 9 April 2019
- Nantwich News: 12 April 2019
The story was also used by the , Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 5 live, in a blog by Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Science, Environment & Rural Affairs Correspondent David Gregory-Kumar, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Norfolk, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio Lancashire, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Three Counties Radio and Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Hereford & Worcester.