Work has begun to install the first of 132 on-street electric vehicle charging points in Edinburgh, in the initial phase of a project to implement charging bays across the Scottish capital.
There will be six new rapid charging bays and 30 new slow charging bays installed at Ingliston Park and Ride, with 20 new charging bays to follow at Hermiston Park and Ride in December.
The installation of 66 charging points, hosting in total 132 fast, rapid and slow chargers, in residential streets around the city will continue throughout winter. Work is expected to be complete and all chargers up and running by spring 2022.
Councillor Lesley Macinnes, transport and environment convener, City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We’re all more aware than ever of the urgent need to address the way we travel, and how this impacts on the world around us, so it’s really encouraging that more and more people are making the switch to electric cars. We want to support that.
“I’m delighted that the installation of charging points across the city is now underway, marking the start of our ambitious, strategic programme. Soon, thousands of people across the city will be able to benefit from charging infrastructure right outside their homes on a daily basis.”
The works at Ingliston will see the existing charging points unavailable until 22 October, during this time the the nearest points will be at Hermiston and Scottish Midland Co-operative Society in Newbridge.
Furthermore, the council is looking at future locations for EV chargers using data from two Energy Savings Trust studies and have developed a scoring framework.
Once future locations have been assessed a further report will be submitted to transport and environment committee seeking permission to apply for the funding by March 2022. This will be used to roll out the next phase of electric vehicle chargers across Edinburgh.
The council is also exploring the utilisation of street lighting columns as charging points, avoiding issues of cabling trailing across footways while complementing the existing street scene in Edinburgh, especially in conservation and heritage areas.
The UK government is currently accepting applications for the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme which provides funding for 75% of the cost of installing EV chargers, with the remaining 25% of the cost being provided by Energy Savings Trust Scotland.
