Transport Secretary launches start of investment in electric recharging in North East England
Fri 16 October 2009
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The Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis has launched the Newcastle Gateshead Advanced Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Programme that could ultimately see 750 charging points installed across the region over the next two years.
40 charging points are to be installed at public buildings, shopping centres and on the roadside in the Newcastle Gateshead area in the next few weeks. The work is the first phase of a project intended to establish a recharging network in the North East, a region aiming to be a leader in the development and demonstration of electric vehicles.
Newcastle is also one of the cities taking part in the Energy Technologies Institute’s £11 million ‘Joined Cities’ research project, which will look at electric car charging infrastructure. Two other north east cities, Sunderland and Middlesbrough, are also participants.
“As the UK’s first Low Carbon Economic Area focused on ultra low carbon vehicles, the North East has a real opportunity to lead the way in the low carbon revolution,” said Lord Adonis at the launch.
The charging points will be used in three major electric vehicle trials taking place in the region, which are being run by CENEX, the UK’s Centre of Excellence for low-carbon vehicles and fuel cell technologies, the Department for Transport and the Technology Strategy Board.
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