North East Mayor today launched a
multi-million pound programme that will see hundreds of new
electric car charge points installed in streets throughout the
region over the next three years.
The North East Combined Authority has secured a £15.8m
award following a successful bid for Local Electric Vehicle
Infrastructure (LEVI) funding that will eventually see more than
1,000 charge points installed by 2030, with hundreds expected to
be delivered in the next three years.
The new charge points will be rolled-out right across the North
East Combined Authority area and primarily targeted at
residential areas without off-street parking such as
driveways.
New charge points will also be built in areas traditionally
considered of ‘low' commercial value, helping to plug gaps where
areas are not covered by commercial charge points.
Rural communities will also benefit from new charging
infrastructure, as will deprived areas across the North East. It
is hoped this targeted approach will mean that more local people
can make the switch to a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) with more
confidence.
North East Mayor , said:
“I am delighted that we have secured £15.8m to grow our electric
vehicle charging network. This funding will deliver an additional
1,000 new charging points right across the region by 2030 which
is really exciting.
“As a driver of an electric vehicle, I know how challenging it
can be to find a convenient place to charge. Of course, I want to
encourage more people to consider making the switch to electric,
but I know following many conversations with local people that to
do this, we need to ensure the infrastructure is there so
residents can make any change with confidence. I hope these new
residential based points will be helpful for our communities and
will encourage more people to consider an electric vehicle in the
future.”
Future of Roads Minister said:
“It's fantastic to see the North East Mayor Kim McGuiness confirm
that NECA will deliver hundreds of chargepoints across the region
thanks to our near £16m boost.
“We saw great growth in the North East chargepoint network in the
last quarter and this funding will keep the momentum going,
making it easier to make a supported switch to EVs, supporting
jobs and helping the UK become a clean energy superpower as part
of Plan for Change.”
The Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund supports local
authorities in England to plan and deliver charging
infrastructure for residents without off-street parking. The
North East Combined Authority has been awarded the second largest
allocation in the country.
