THE HUNT is on to find space for 10 locations for charging stations for electric vehicles across the region.
As the electric equivalent of petrol and diesel filling stations the electric vehicle transit stations are designed to encourage greater take up of electric vehicles (EVs), including lorries and commercial vehicles as part of plans to deliver a net zero-carbon region.
The ten stations, each likely to include 80 to 100 ultra-rapid chargers, will be located at strategic points along the region’s major road network.
The EV transit station network is one of the first four major transport projects to be delivered as part of the £1.3billion City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement (CRSTS) backed investment.
The four schemes were green lit by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board and can go ahead pending final approval from Government.
This includes £56million to deliver phase two of the Sprint bus priority corridor with more bus lanes and junction upgrades along the full route between Solihull and Walsall.
Phase one along the A34 and A45 in Birmingham is nearing completion.
Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), which is part of the WMCA, has been awarded £1.05billion CRSTS funding which, topped up with local funds, will deliver £1.3billion investment across 50 large and small transport projects over the next five years.
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the WMCA Board, said: “These projects are just the start of our £1.3 billion investment to de-carbonise and revolutionise our transport network across the West Midlands.
“We know that many people and businesses would like to switch to electric vehicles but are worried about the availability of chargers – so these 10 electric vehicle transit stations show we are serious about supporting that transition.”
