TWO of the most deprived areas in Glasgow will benefit from electric car charging points in a bid to reduce CO2 emissions in the city.

A total of £2,175,000 has been secured from Transport Scotland to develop these facilities in 11 different sites across the north and East End of the city over the next two years.

Funds of £675,000 will be used to install 31 units this year while the remaining £1,500,000 will go towards 44 units in 2020.

It has been noted that car ownership in these parts of the Glasgow is comparatively lower than the rest of the city.

There are already 100 charging points within the Glasgow City Council area. More than 2500 drivers use these facilities on a yearly basis but the starting point of their journey has not been confirmed.

Plans were discussed at the contracts and property committee.

A council officer said: “The locations of these units have been identified but some survey work needs to be carried out to ensure this work can go ahead.

“We need to make sure there is adequate grid supply for the electricity. It is a rolling programme. We will install maybe two or three at a time.”

Councillors agreed this was a step in the right direction to reduce CO2 emissions in a city which has declared a state of climate emergency.

The local authority is the third in Scotland to do this following in the footsteps of Edinburgh and the Highland Council.

Glasgow recently launched ambitious plans to become the UK’s first carbon neutral city. The scheme included plans for new electric car charging stations.

Councillor Thomas Kerr said: “I would like to welcome this paper especially with the announcement by the Prime Minister that we should aim to be carbon neutral by 2050.

“I know you can’t tell us the specific locations but will these points be throughout the city or will they be in a concentrated area?”

Mr Kerr was informed that the units would be on council land in order to maintain control over them and ensure equity for users.

A spokesman for the council said: “We will be looking to deliver charging units throughout the city but we are looking to deliver more in the north and the east of the city where there are opportunities for charging points.”

Councillor Christina Cannon said she was reassured that the north and east would not be forgotten in this development.

She said: “When do you think you will be in a position to publicise fully these plans?”

Ms Cannon was informed she could be given the specific locations in private but the public could not be made aware of the exact spots until the surveys had been carried out.

Transport Scotland provides grant funding to local authorities each year to develop the electric vehicle charge point network.

The council has been strongly encouraged by the Scottish Government to deliver a network of charge points that will meet the rising demand for electric vehicles in anticipation of the phasing out of the need for new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2032.

A similar contract, of £130,000 was awarded in 2018 based on the availability of grant funding at that stage.

The use of electric vehicles reduces CO2 emissions within the city, improving the air quality.

By maximising the availability of charge points to electric vehicle drivers in the city, Glasgow City Council will continue to support a low-carbon transport infrastructure and will facilitate the steady growth of electric vehicle users in the city.