An electric vehicle charging station in Wick city center.
Liberal Democratic candidate Molly Nolan is calling on the next Scottish government to launch an “electric car revolution” by helping motorists switch to greener vehicles.
“Unless urgent action is taken to tackle runaway traffic emissions, our environment and the health of future generations will suffer,” she warned.
Ms. Nolan, the Lib Dem candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross in next month’s elections, spoke after her party used freedom of information legislation to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations in the Highlands and Islands, as well as Moray and determine Argyll and Bute.
It found that 107 charging stations had been publicly installed across the region over the past five years, with none of the region’s six local authorities able to come up with a formal plan to increase the number.
However, the Highland Council compares itself to other local authorities in the region with 34 EV chargers built over a five-year period, more than any of its peers. Twenty-four of these were installed in the Highland Council area in 2020/21.
The Lib Dems highlighted figures from the Driver and Vehicle Registration Authority showing that 640 cars have been registered as electric across the Highlands, a lower percentage than Scotland as a whole.
Ms. Nolan also said it was necessary to start the Electric A9 project – an initiative to expand and strengthen the EV infrastructure with roadside charging stations installed between Perth and Scrabster.
“Everyone in the Highlands and the Islands knows that because of our geographic location, cars are not a luxury,” said Nolan. “The next Scottish government must help locals make the green switch to electric vehicles with an electric car revolution.”
According to the Highland Council, people need to feel confident that switching to electric vehicles is a practical option.
“Building public trust begins with the rapid upgrading of the fast charging network and, last but not least, with the start of the Electric A9 project. Without this, limited infrastructure means limited results. “
The Highland Council recently said its EV infrastructure program is generating national interest. The council is part of the local authorities’ installation program funded by the Scottish Government to further expand the public charging system.
Councilor Trish Robertson, Chair of the Highland Council’s Climate Change Working Group, said: “Continuing our commitment to providing charging points for electric vehicles in the Highlands is an integral part of our responsibility in addressing the climate emergency.
“The Scottish government has pledged to phase out new gasoline and diesel cars and vans across Scotland by 2032. So it is important that the work we have started continues and that people feel confident that the move to electric vehicles is both a practical as well as a practical option that will help reduce our impact on the environment. “
