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Electric cars: England councils share £40m government grant Electric cars to be allowed in bus lanes
(about 3 hours later)
Four towns and cities have been given a share of £40m in government money to increase the number of plug-in electric cars on the road. Electric car drivers will be allowed to travel in bus lanes as part of plans to boost usage of low-emission vehicles in England.
Councils in Nottingham, Bristol, Milton Keynes and London qualified for the cash. Free parking spaces for plug-in car owners and streetlight charging points are also set to be introduced.
Ideas including building street lights that double as charge points, were tabled as part of the successful bids. The government awarded cash to four areas which successfully bid for a share of £40m funding.
Transport secretary Patrick McLaughlin said authorities had shown "exciting, innovative ideas" for electric cars. Transport secretary Patrick McLaughlin said the councils had shown "exciting, innovative ideas" for electric cars.
Nottinghamshire and Derby, Milton Keynes, Bristol and London qualified for a share of the cash.
'World leader''World leader'
Bus lanes in Milton Keynes will be re-branded as low emission lanes giving plug-in vehicles the same priority as buses at traffic lights.
The town, which has been awarded £9m, will also build an advice centre offering short-term loans for electric car purchases.
It is also proposing to open all its 20,000 parking bays for free to electric cars.
Nottingham City Council will also open up some of its bus lanes, and use part of its £6m grant to install 230 charge points.
"I want to see thousands more greener vehicles on our roads and I am proud to back this ambition with £40m," Mr McLaughlin said of the Go Ultra Low City Scheme."I want to see thousands more greener vehicles on our roads and I am proud to back this ambition with £40m," Mr McLaughlin said of the Go Ultra Low City Scheme.
"The UK is a world leader in the uptake of low emission vehicles and our long-term economic plan is investing £600m by 2020 to improve air quality, create jobs and achieve our goal of every new car and van in the UK being ultra-low emission by 2040." He described the UK as a "world leader" in the uptake of low-emission vehicles and said the government planned to invest £600m by 2020.
London has been given £13m and will use the money to introduce charging points in boroughs including Hackney. London has been given £13m and will use the money to introduce charging points and free parking spaces.
Milton Keynes has received £9m to build a centre for providing advice to people about electric vehicles and offer short-term loans. 'Vanity project'
The town is also proposing to open all its 20,000 parking bays for free to electric cars.
In Bristol, £7m will be used to introduce free residential parking for low-emission vehicles, access to three car share lanes and over 80 fast chargers.In Bristol, £7m will be used to introduce free residential parking for low-emission vehicles, access to three car share lanes and over 80 fast chargers.
Nottingham's £6m will also be used on projects across Nottinghamshire and Derby.
It is hoping to install 230 charge points and offer electric cars access to bus lanes.
The scheme is also providing £5m worth of funding for low-emission development projects in Oxford, Dundee, York and the North East.The scheme is also providing £5m worth of funding for low-emission development projects in Oxford, Dundee, York and the North East.
It will be used in Oxford and Dundee to install chargers for electric vehicles. However, the TaxPayers' Alliance criticised the grants as a "vanity project" which would benefit only a small number of people.
York's money will be used to install solar panels at park and ride locations, to try to help reduce air pollution in and around the city. Chief executive Jonathan Isaby said: "Going green is a worthy goal, but why should already hard-pressed taxpayers be expected to subsidise the expensive choice of vehicle of such a tiny minority?"