Electric vehicles on the agenda as Highland Council and Home Energy Scotland team up for climate awareness week
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COMMUNITIES across the Highlands will have the chance to have their say on the future of green transport at a series of public events this month.
Highland Council, in collaboration with Home Energy Scotland, is hosting the series of talks to mark Climate Week, which runs from September 14 to 19.
The events will give an update on work currently taking place, outline ambitions for a net-zero carbon future, and look at how Highland residents can access funds to help them make a shift toward carbon-neutral transport.
Communities across the region are invited to voice their views, experiences and ideas regarding electric vehicle uptake.
Each session will be focused on a particular area of the Highlands.
The discussions will help inform the new Highland EV (electric vehicle) infrastructure strategy, due to be launched in 2021.
Alongside the live events, the authority is also conducting a survey looking at the needs of Highland communities as they make the shift towards low carbon travel.
To take part visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf7i6Sm1Lv2YihWtt5Fil25SDyj8d8SwMuCmwQte6xCGh00ig/viewform
Councillor Trish Robertson, who chairs the council’s climate change working group, said: "Highland Council, in collaboration with various partners, has made excellent progress in terms of delivering EV charging infrastructure across the region. However, as a council, we recognise that the expedited electrification of transport is essential to reduce local carbon emissions and to meet our net zero ambitions.
"The events organised as part of Climate Week will give Highland residents an opportunity to ask questions and have their voices heard in respect of how we move this agenda forward, and I would encourage as many people as possible to take part."
Anna Myeshkova, Highland Council's EV co-ordinator, added: "A lot of work has been done to implement EV charging infrastructure, but we understand that increasing demand for EVs over the coming months and years will require further improvements and additions to the charging network, to cater for future mass use of electric vehicles. Communities in the heart of Highlands now have an ideal opportunity to shape the area’s transition to a net zero transport system."
The programme timetable will be:
Monday, September 14, 6pm: Caithness and Sutherland
Tuesday, September 15, 6pm: Ross and Cromarty
Wednesday, September 16, 6pm: Lochaber, Skye & Kyle and Lochalsh
Thursday, September 17, 6pm: Badenoch and Strathspey
Saturday, September 19, 10am: Inverness-shire and Nairnshire
To book a place, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/driving-highlands-to-an-electric-future-tickets-116907061167?ref=estw
