A further 164 electric vehicle (EV) charging points for public use are to be installed across Glasgow in 2022, after the City Council secured funding from the Scottish Government’s £60m funding pot.
While funding has been arranged, procurement, supply-chain issues, site surveys and grant funding conditions will affect when the charging devices are installed, which will be a mix of 7 kW and 22 kW charging points.
The ward of Newlands and Auldburn will see the most points introduced, with 38 to be installed, while Drumchapel and Anniesland will receive 32, 16 in Canal, 14 in Hillhead, 14 in Shettleston and 14 in Dennistoun. A further 11 points will be installed in East Centre, with seven in Anderston and Yorkhill, six in Garscadden/Scotstounhill, six throughout the Linn, four in Calton, and two in Partick and Kelvindale.
In addition, a review is also looking at funding that could see another 96 chargers rolled out, including dedicated charging hubs and the potential of opening up council facilities for overnight charging.
To date, 268 public charge points have been installed in Glasgow, more than any other local authority in Scotland. This figure does not include the 115 charging spaces created to support the council’s own EV fleet.
The push for more charging infrastructure comes as the Scottish Government aims to phase out all petrol and diesel vehicles in Scotland by 2032. Glasgow has already introduced a Low Emission Zone, the second phase of which, due to be enforced in 2023, bans certain vehicles from the city centre.
“Supporting the transition to electric vehicles is an important part of our response to the climate emergency,” said SNP councillor Angus Millar, chairman of the environment, sustainability and carbon reduction committee.
“Glasgow has made good progress in recent years in expanding our public electric vehicle charging network, with 268 charge points across the city – and with funding secured for a further 164 and an additional 96 proposed subject to grant application, we are looking at a near doubling of the public network in the coming year to meet rising demand in the city.”
In January, the Scottish Government published a new draft vision statement for public EV charging in Scotland. Building on existing provision and seeking to deliver more of the right chargers in the right places, the vision sees the launch of a new fund that will provide up to £60 million to local authorities over the next four years, with approximately half of the funding anticipated to be invested from the private sector. The move, according to the Scottish Government, has the potential to double the size of the public charging network in Scotland.
