Murdo Fraser MSP wants council to keep pledge to roll-out electric vehicle chargers

Murdo Fraser MSP

Murdo Fraser MSP wants Perth and Kinross Council to keep their promise to roll-out electric vehicle (EV) chargers across the region.

Following a question to the local authority through Freedom of Information, the council has stated they will be procuring a major contract with private industry which will result in ‘significant’ investment in their EV charging infrastructure.

In a response to a question from the Scottish Conservatives, which asked if there is a plan in place to ensure that most of the EV charging points are working across Perth and its surrounding area, Perth and Kinross Council has revealed that they will replace older chargers, with ‘many more’ chargers to be installed across the region.

The council has also said that an additional 11 chargers will be installed and available at locations within the next few months.

Commenting, Mr Fraser, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region for the Scottish Conservatives, said: “I want Perth and Kinross Council to keep this promise to roll-out additional chargers across the region and their promise to provide significant investment in their EV infrastructure. We raised the issue of EV chargers as there were only three charging points in Perth during the summer, with one of these in need of repair to a cable.

“This was at the height of the tourism season in Perthshire when some visitors may have used electric cars as a means of transport around the region. There will be some visitors and tourists travelling across Perth and Kinross during the festive season, enjoying the beauty and hospitality that the region has to offer, so it is vital that EV chargers are available and in good working order.

“In their response to our question, Perth and Kinross Council revealed that some of their older EV chargers are more prone to faults that require repairs and underlined how they will embark on procuring a major contract which they state will result in significant investment in EV chargers. While this has to be welcomed, I will be keeping an eye on this issue to make sure the promise is kept.”  

 

 

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Murdo Fraser MSP

Murdo Fraser

Murdo Fraser was born in Inverness and studied law at Aberdeen University before practicing as a solicitor in Edinburgh. In the 1999 Scottish Parliament Election, Murdo stood as the Conservative candidate for North Tayside, and fought the constituency again at the 2001 General Election. He became a Member of the Scottish Parliament in August 2001 following the resignation of the previous List Member for Mid-Scotland and Fife, and was re-elected in 2003, 2007, 2011, 2016 and 2021. Murdo was Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives from November 2005 to November 2011 and has served as spokesman on Education, Health, Economy and Finance. Murdo was delighted to be re-elected in 2021 and is now Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Business, Economic Growth and Tourism.