Highland Council to give talk to Sutherland residents on the future of electric transport in the area
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To mark Climate Week (September 14-19) The Highland Council, in collaboration with Home Energy Scotland, will be delivering a series of talks on the future of electric transport in the Highlands.
Communities will be updated on current work taking place, the ambition for a net-zero carbon future, and current funding streams to enable Highland residents to make a shift toward carbon-neutral transport.
Communities across the region are invited to voice their views, experiences and ideas regarding electric vehicle uptake, and the sessions are each focused on a particular area of the Highlands, including:
Monday, September 14 – 6pm: Caithness and Sutherland.
Tuesday, September 15 – 6pm: Ross and Cromarty.
Topics of conversation will include:
• What is 'EV' and why is this the vehicle of the future? An introduction to electric vehicles.
• Update on what's been happening – current infrastructure development and plans in Highlands and locally.
• Help and advice for people interested in making the switch to EV.
• Question and answer session – opportunity to pitch your questions and get involved in wider discussions about climate change and community sustainability.
The discussions will help inform the new Highland EV infrastructure strategy, due to be launched in 2021.
In addition, The Highland Council is also carrying out a survey to better understand the needs of Highland communities in respect of making a shift towards low carbon travel – to have your views heard please visit:
Electric Vehicle uptake in Rural Highlands
The survey and Climate Week events are part of wider work to expand and increase uptake of EVs in Highland. The electrification of transport is one of the key solutions to meet the Scottish Government’s ambition to reduce Scotland's emissions of all greenhouse gases to net-zero by 2045.
Cllr Trish Robertson, chairman of the council’s Climate Change Working Group said: "The Highland Council, in collaboration with various partners, has made excellent progress in terms of delivering EV charging infrastructure across the region. However, as a council, we recognise that the expedited electrification of transport is essential to reduce local carbon emissions and to meet our net zero ambitions.
"The events organised as part of Climate Week will give Highland residents an opportunity to ask questions and have their voices heard in respect of how we move this agenda forward, and I would encourage as many people as possible to take part."
Anna Myeshkova, EV Coordinator for the Highland Council said: "With assistance from Transport Scotland, Highland Council is in the process of implementing a programme of installations – 30 additional charging points across Highlands.
"A lot of work has been done to implement EV charging infrastructure, but we understand that increasing demand for EVs over the coming months and years will require further improvements and additions to the charging network, to cater for future mass use of electric vehicles. Communities in the heart of Highlands now have an ideal opportunity to shape the area’s transition to a net zero transport system."
