Bid for electric car funding made in Northern Ireland

Date: 14/10/2010

A bid for funding for an electric vehicle infrastructure has been made in Northern Ireland in an effort to "kick start" sustainable transport in the country.

Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy said he welcomed the progress of the proposals, which are a joint venture between the Department for Regional Development and the Department for the Environment.

The request for funding is part of an initiative named Plugged in Places, which "represents an exciting opportunity to kick start the use of electric vehicles", he said.

Mr Murphy stated the need for a network of publicly-accessible charging points in "key destinations" - such as retail facilities and car parks - has been recognised.

Environment Minister Edwin Poots added electric cars are an "excellent way to decarbonise transport" and make a positive contribution to climate change.

A recent study named the Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators project report revealed those who already own the vehicles are exhibiting increasing confidence by completing longer journeys.

Posted by Nick Anderson