The government is investing £40 million in projects which boost the use of electric vehicles (EVs).

Nottingham, Bristol, Milton Keynes and London have been awarded a share of the fund for designing schemes that help encourage people to consider switching to a plug-in car.

London has been awarded £13 million to develop plans which include more than a dozen streets in Hackney going electric with charging infrastructure.

Milton Keynes will receive £9 million to open an Electric Vehicle Experience Centre.

Bristol will get £7 million to offer residents benefits which include free residential parking for EVs.

Nottingham will use £6 million to install 230 chargepoints and offer EV owners discount parking and access to more than 13 miles of bus lanes along key routes across the city.

The scheme is also providing £5 million for specific initiatives in Dundee, Oxford, York and North East regions to help them start a “country-wide clean motoring revolution”.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: “These Go Ultra Low Cities have proposed exciting, innovative ideas that will encourage drivers to choose an electric car. I want to see thousands more greener vehicles on our roads and I am proud to back this ambition with £40 million to help the UK become international pioneers of emission cutting technology.

“The UK is a world leader in the uptake of low emission vehicles and our long-term economic plan is investing £600 million by 2020 to improve air quality, create jobs and achieve our goal of every new car and van in the UK being ultra-low emission by 2040.”

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