Members of the public will be asked for views on proposals on where to position future electric vehicle chargers in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute, through a consultation in the New Year.
The Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee approved the proposed list today (2 December) which has been developed following a seminar with elected members in September.
Smaller towns, and tourist hotspots, will be the main priority for fast charging units to fill in gaps in provision and then the focus will turn to larger towns, as they have some provision already. The new plans show 55 potential Electric Vehicle Charging (EVC) sites across ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute that could be installed when funding becomes available from external sources.
The report with the full list can be found on the council website.
In addition, HITRANS will install eight chargers across ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute, as part of its European-funded FASTER programme, at a cost of around £372,000. These chargers are additional to the 55 listed in the council’s proposals, and include:
- Rothesay Harbour
- Port Askaig, Islay
- Corran Halls, Oban
- Pier Car Park, Dunoon
- Lorne Street Car Park, Lochgilphead
- New Quay, Campbeltown
- Ledaig, Tobermory
- Ferry Terminal, Tarbert
The council is also taking full advantage of available funding to install EVCs at offices and depots to support the ever-growing number of hybrid and fully electric vehicles used as part of the council fleet. There are currently 70 of these vehicles in use.
Councillor Rory Colville, Policy Lead for Roads and Infrastructure Services, said: “We’ve looked at where EVCs need to be to make it easier for people with electric vehicles to travel around ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ and Bute. However, we’ll be asking local people what they think and taking that into account before we make a final decision.
“Then, once funding becomes available, we have a programme to work to.â€