Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail any plans his Department has to address the lack of electric vehicle charge points between Omagh and Cookstown.
Minister for Infrastructure: The development of publicly accessible Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is a commercially led activity, the provision of which rests solely with Charge Point Operators (CPOs). Individual CPOs are best placed to advise if they have plans to install further charge points within their wider networks. My officials continue to engage with EV owners and provide advice to CPOs on operational matters.
There has been significant investment from CPOs in EV infrastructure over the last 18 months. The commercial publicly accessible charge point network has over 680 chargers now in place here, this represents a growth in EV charging provision of 75% since April 2023. The Rapid/Ultra Rapid charging public network, which offers the fastest, most convenient method of charging has grown by over 300% here in the same period. Confidence in the market is very encouraging, with nearly 30,000 EVs on our roads and more than 20 CPOs providing key services to EV drivers at multiple sites across the north including shopping centres, hotels and on the strategic road network.
My Department has committed over £470,000 match funding to support applications from Councils to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles On Street Residential Charge Point Scheme of which just over £133,500 has yet to be drawn down by Councils. This scheme led by Derry City and Strabane District Council on behalf of nine Local Councils aims to provide a further 127 charge points across those Council areas. Individual Councils are best placed to advise on the number of additional charge points this will provide in their area.
My officials continue to engage with officials from the British Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles on grants and funding available for EV Infrastructure here. I am pleased to confirm that the north has now had it’s 1,000th workplace charge point installed through the Workplace Charging Scheme and a further 109 charge points have also been installed in ‘Staff and Fleet Carparks’ under the Electric Vehicle Charge Point Grant Scheme. These charge points provide additional options for charging to EV owners and further compliment the growing publicly accessible charge point network.
Through the Shared Island Fund we will soon have additional charging facilities at nearly 50 sports clubs across the north, 7 of which are in County Tyrone bringing new access to charging to the heart of our communities. Further details on this scheme can be found at: Shared Island Sports Club EV Charging Scheme – Pobal
ENDS
Your MLA 