Northern Ireland Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd and a local council consortium, led by Derry City and Strabane District Council, have welcomed a £1.3 million funding boost for electric vehicle charge-points in residential areas across the north.

TransportandEnergy.com reports funding opportunities for the installation of charge point infrastructure in GB-NI are provided by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).

The funding award of £1,348,370 and match-funding from the Department for Infrastructure of £500,000 will be used to assist local councils across the north with the installation of on-street electric vehicle charge points for local residents in a number of residential areas wishing to charge their plug-in electric vehicles that lack access to private off-street charging.

Welcoming the funding offer Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd said: “In order to tackle the decarbonisation of transport and address climate change we must seriously prioritise sustainable modes of transport.  This offer of funding from OZEV and the match funding of £500,000 that I am making available to a local council consortium led by Derry City and Strabane District Council for 2021-22 applications, subject to public expenditure processes, is a further welcome boost to help accelerate the transition to zero emission cars and vans.”

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(Picture, John O’Dowd and Mayor of Derry and Strabane District Council Sandra Duffy – courtesy Department for Infrastructure NI)