London’s network of on-street electric vehicle (EV) charge points will almost double to around 1,500 by the end of 2018 as part of a new £4.5m investment programme.
The Mayor’s Office confirmed yesterday that new funding from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles will see 25 boroughs provided with up to £300,000 each to expand the availability of standard charge points in their neighbourhoods.
The funding comes in addition to plans to deploy a new network of 150 fast charge points, which will be deployed over the next two years to support the roll out of a new fleet of plug-in taxis.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the “substantial investment in electric charging points will make a real difference, making electric vehicles an easier and more practical option for Londoners across our city”.
“We have a bold ambition to make London’s transport system zero emission by 2050, and working with boroughs to roll out more charging infrastructure is a vital part of making this a reality,” he added.
The Evening Standard reported the Mayor’s Office hopes the expansion of the charging network will make it easier for people with no off-street parking to make the switch to EVs. It added more funding could be made available if the roll out proves successful.
Councils are now expected to identify sites for the new chargers with some of the cash earmarked for new technologies, such as chargers that can be installed in lamp posts.
The move comes a week after the government announced plans to step up support for EVs and ban the sale of new internal combustion engine cars and vans from 2040.
However, Khan slammed the proposals for not going far enough in tackling London’s air pollution, arguing Ministers should introduce a new diesel scrappage scheme to help accelerate the switch to cleaner vehicles.
Source: businessgreen.com
