POSSIBLE sites have been identified for an electric vehicle charging hub on Islay, council officials have reported.
An Argyll and Bute Council committee recently received an update on an electric vehicle charging (EVC) strategy for the area, and options for the island are now being explored.
A councillor claimed during a meeting of the council’s environment, development and infrastructure (EDI) committee that some parts of Argyll and Bute could not be reached by electric vehicles due to the location of charging points.
The update is given in a report from the council’s roads and infrastructure services department, which is made available on the authority’s website.
The document said: “Following approval of the recent report to EDI on the EVC strategy, we’re happy to advise that we have identified some possible sites for an EV hub on Islay, and are currently exploring options.
“As advised in the report there was no council car park on the island that was suitable for a charging hub.
“One potential site is our current yard on Gortanvogie Road, although development of that site for an EV hub would be contingent on progressing the depot rationalisation project on Islay and moving our operations out to Gartbreck.
“We will continue to develop site options ahead of bringing developed proposals back to committee.”
Councillor Alastair Redman (Independent, Kintyre and the Islands) said during the committee’s discussion: “My fellow councillors are aware that there are parts of Argyll and Bute you simply cannot go to, because there are no charging facilities. You can get there, but you cannot get back.
“A lot of ferry ports do not have charging points and I wondered what officers’ thoughts were on the quantity of charging points and the positioning of them?
“If everybody goes electric there will be areas of Argyll that you simply cannot reach, and not all charging ports work with each other.”
Andy Summers, the council’s head of roads and infrastructure services, responded: “The council is taking the best possible approach within the resources and constraints we are working under. I know that is a general answer but it is the best approach we can take in the circumstances.
“There are certain bays that have their own charging network and what we are trying to do is provide the highest level of service we can for the broadest range of vehicles we can.”
The report to councillors this week also said: “The team have been working on potholing, signage replacement and general maintenance across MAKI (Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands) this week.
“Work continues on the footway and road improvement works at Bruichladdich.”
