Chichester District Council successfully bid for a £52,000 government grant from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles, in order to encourage more people to use electric vehicles and support existing electric vehicle drivers. This grant will be used towards the purchase and installation costs of the new charging points in eight of the council’s car parks across the district.
Gillian Keegan MP spoke on this issue in January of last year calling on the government to put in place a comprehensive network of charging points across the UK. On hearing the news the Chichester MP said, ‘this is exactly the right type of new green infrastructure we need in Chichester. The new sites cover the district so E-car drivers can be assured they will be able to recharge easily in our area, and hopefully encourage more people to drive electric cars.’
‘The government have done significant work to improve the UK’s charging infrastructure, investing £200 million that is being matched by business to create a £400 million fund. With a further £100 million Plug-In Car Grant to help people buy electric vehicles.
Cllr. Penny Plant, Cabinet Member for the Environment said, ‘as a council, we are committed to improving air quality and taking steps to try and tackle climate change. This project is one of many ways we are trying to make a difference.’
‘We’re very grateful for the grant we have received from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and for the support we received from the Energy Savings Trust in helping us submit our bid.’
Anyone thinking of purchasing an electric vehicle can also currently access a grant of up to £3500 from the government if they purchase a new car. More information can be found at www.gov.uk/government/collections/grants-for-plug-in-vehicles