BUSINESSES across the region are being urged to pledge their support for installing electric car charging points, as the North-East continues its drive to lead the way in pioneering low carbon vehicles.
As final preparations for the bid to the £30m Plugged In Places initiative continue, which could see companies installing charging points on their premises at a discounted rate, businesses were urged to play a role in securing the funding.
The bid comes only weeks after regional development agency One North East joined Nissan to pledge to install 619 publicly-available points by next January.
The first 40 are being installed in central Newcastle and Gateshead, and will soon be fuelling passenger cars from the North-East’s electric vehicle demonstrator project, which will be launched this year.
One North East is now finalising a bid to the Government’s Plugged In Places project, which will provide match-funding for the installation of charging points.
Several companies and local authorities have pledged their support to the regional bid, including Tesco, Sunderland and Northumbria universities, green services company Eaga, Land Securities, alongside Durham, Stockton, Sunderland, Newcastle and South Tyneside councils.
And yesterday, more were urged to get involved by signing up to the project, which would ultimately enable them to install charging points at their premises for half the standard price – about £2,500 instead of £5,000 – with the difference made up by Plugged In Places.
Chris Pywell, head of strategic economic change at One North East, said: “This is an excellent financial opportunity for regional businesses and organisations.
“If our bid is successful, the funding would strengthen our region’s position as a leading location for electric car technology and for the development of a national charging infrastructure.”
The Plugged In Places initiative was launched by Transport Secretary Lord Andrew Adonis in November, to support the development of between three and six electric car cities and regions across the UK, which will act as trailblazers for electric car technology.
Businesses and organisations interested in installing electric car charging points should email Dr David Beeton, business strategy senior specialist at One North East, at david.beeton@onenorth east.co.uk
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