ONE Scottish city council has questioned why more local councils don’t use electric cars such as the Nissan LEAF.
Writing online for The Guardian, Harry Thomson, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s head of integrated transport and commissioning, is asking why more councils aren’t taking a leaf out of his council’s book and embracing the benefits of electric cars.
Earlier this year, Dumfries and Galloway Council received funding from Transport for Scotland and a leasing package from Automotive Leasing to obtain four Nissan LEAFs and an electric sweeper. Now the council is the first in Scotland to lease EVs, allowing more than 127 tonnes of carbon emissions to be saved a year.
Three £4k charging points were also installed allowing the council vehicles – of which the NHS is one user – can reach remote areas and carry out council duties easily.
Thomson says many local councils are put of from adding electric vehicles to their fleets due to high upfront, leasing and depreciation costs. But, says Thomson, Dumfries and Galloway is an example of how it can be done.
‘The public sector has an important role to play in demonstrating the viability of electric vehicles – both financially and operationally,’ says Thomson. ‘Dumfries and Galloway’s was an important test case for EV procurement. Five Scottish councils have already followed suit.
‘If we are serious about reducing our carbon impact, this model must also be taken seriously by other authorities around the UK.’