More than 160 Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers are now available at dedicated hubs across Lanarkshire, thanks to the completion of a pioneering new project.
The charging hubs were built at locations which best suited the needs of the local community to help them make the switch to EV.
A total of 167 chargers are now available across sites including train stations, libraries, community centres and country parks such as Strathclyde Country Park, Lanark Lifestyles and Getting Better Together Shotts.
To mark the end of the project, SP Energy Networks held a closing event at one of the project’s largest charging hubs in South Lanarkshire, Chatelherault Country Park.
Minister for Transport Jenny Gilruth MSP, key project members and representatives from the local authorities were all in attendance to mark the occasion.
She said: “I’m delighted to celebrate the success of project PACE.
Our £5.3m funding of this project underlines the Scottish Government’s commitment to supporting the uptake of electric vehicles.
“The investment in charge points is benefiting local communities, businesses and visitors across Lanarkshire.”
‘Project PACE’ was part of the strategic collaboration between SP Energy Networks and the Scottish Government to create over 44 EV charging hubs to help with the rising demand for low-carbon technologies and to facilitate local communities’ transition to cleaner and greener lifestyles.
Since its launch in 2019, the project, which was facilitated by Transport Scotland and local authorities in North and South Lanarkshire, has provided over 3520MWh of energy which has enabled 13.7m miles to be driven using green energy transport.
This has helped save 2380 tonnes of CO2 which would’ve been emitted into the atmosphere had the same journeys been made by petrol or diesel cars.
The charging points have already been used over 105,000 times and enable an additional 4150 EVs to be on the roads, increasing the number of electric vehicles in Lanarkshire by 200 per cent compared to the baseline in December 2019.
Lynda Ward, Transformation Director at SP Energy Networks, said: “The results of PACE are there for all to see and I’m proud this project delivers such a significant contribution towards the electrification of transport.
“The usage of the chargers shows the appetite and value of projects such as PACE and enables people to make greener choices more easily.
“The project is a shining example of the power of collaboration to create a greener, cleaner future for all and I’m looking forward to seeing the hubs continue to thrive in the coming years as SP Energy Networks continues to drive forward to a net zero emissions future.”
Project PACE has also played a vital role in helping the Scottish Government phase out new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.
Transport Scotland invested £5.3m to help deliver the new public EV charge points for the ChargePlace Scotland network which has seen a 200 per cent increase EV charging capacity across Lanarkshire.
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