Lancashire County Council to spend £3m on electric cars and charging points

Lancashire County Council is set to spend £3m on a fleet of new electric vehicles and charging points.

The council has already taken delivery of three electric vans and have been trialling them in different departments to determine which service areas are most suitable for them.

The council has also procured 12 electric cars for the authority’s parking enforcement patrols, which have been brought back under its direct control this month after being outsourced.

More battery-powered vehicles could soon be en route to the county after cabinet members gave the green light to the green investment – with the highways service expected to be next in line for them.

The county council already obtains its electricity from renewable sources.

The charging infrastructure – which accounts for a third of the £3m investment – will be installed at council facilities where the early adopters of EVs are based.

Cabinet member for the environment and climate change, Shaun Turner, said: “The move underscores our commitment to net-zero carbon emissions and to zero tailpipe emissions. Our fleet services team has been working for some time to look at where we could use electric vehicles in the delivery of services – and while earlier models had too many limitations, there are now far more options on the market, which, most importantly, can go further between charges.

“With our current parking enforcement contract coming to an end, this team will come in-house from September, giving us the opportunity to equip them with electric vehicles to reduce the emissions created as they drive around the county.

“Investing in the charging infrastructure at our depots and offices to support them will also leave us well-placed to expand our use of electric vehicles in the future.”

Image: Shutterstock

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