Welsh councils receive OLEV EV infrastructure funding

Nine local authorities across Wales are set to receive funding from the UK Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) to install electric vehicle charge points in car parks in residential areas.

Five councils in Gwent including Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen will receive a share of almost £500,000 to install 73 charge points with 146 individual sockets across the region.

Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Powys and Swansea councils have also applied for funding.

Many areas in the UK have residential areas where off-street parking is not an option, presenting a barrier to plug-in vehicle adoption. Funding for the on-street residential charge points scheme for 2019/20 was recently increased to £2.5m.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said:

"The next few decades will be transformative for our transport industry and therefore it is vital that electric vehicle drivers feel confident about the availability of charge points near their homes and along their journeys.

"Greater availability of charge points will also encourage a shift towards greener transport, bringing significant environmental benefits with it."