A BUCKIE council member has stressed the importance of keeping the region “ahead of the game” when it comes to charging stations for electric cars.
Councilor Tim Eagle: Moray needs a “fair” price range for car charging points.
Following a meeting of the Economic Growth, Housing and Environmental Sustainability Committee, Tim Eagle, who heads the Tory group on the Moray Council, welcomed the assurance that the municipality’s charging policy for electric cars will be included in a more comprehensive charging network discussion paper via Moray, which is yet to be to be brought to the council this year.
Regarding the motion presented to the committee, Councilor Tim Eagle said: “The UK government, along with the Scottish government, has a clear ambition to phase out gasoline and diesel cars and we are already seeing an increase in the use of electric vehicles across Moray.
“In my opinion, it is important that the Moray Council have the edge. We need a strong network of car fees that are accessible to residents and those who drive through Moray, but we also need a fair and balanced pricing framework. ”And enables continued investment.
“When I looked at this, I was shocked that, despite all the changes that have taken place, we haven’t considered pricing since 2014.
“Electric vehicles are part of the climate strategy in Moray, but pricing was a key element that was missing from the original information.
“I am pleased that officials have given assurances that the prices will be included in the discussion paper to be presented to the Council before the end of this year.
“The current pricing policy of £ 3.80 per charge doesn’t take into account the size of the battery or whether users need to charge a little rather than fully charge the battery. This creates a serious injustice and reduces the likelihood that property owners will use the community network.
“I would like to support the switch to electric cars and will monitor this as we proceed so that we can ensure that Moray is a leading authority in our electric charging network.”
