Cumbernauld Action on Care of the Elderly (CACE) has officially launched two electric minibuses in Cumbernauld thanks to funding from our Green Economy Fund.
Guy Jefferson, our Chief Operating Officer joined CACE CEO Ann Innes, Stuart Macdonald MP and Jamie Hepburn MSP for the official launch at the CACE HQ in Cumbernauld. The Green Economy Fund enabled the organisation to purchase electric two minibuses for a door-to-door service, which transports people from their home to its on-site activity suite or events in the local area.
Cumbernauld Action on Care of the Elderly will be using their vehicles to replace aging diesel vehicles that put the organisation’s vital community work in jeopardy, as they had become increasingly unreliable. The community transport group has also offered their services to NHS Lanarkshire to assist with the COVID-19 vaccination rollout.
This project joins five other Lanarkshire community transport groups that have benefited from £1.2million funding from our Green Economy Fund. Their new electric vehicles will be used to support vulnerable, disadvantaged and elderly people across the region to access vital appointments and community activities.
The all-electric community vehicles are being funded as part of SP Energy Networks’ £20million Green Economy Fund, which supports the Scottish Government’s ambitious plans to meet climate change targets. The fund also aims to boost local economic growth, improve air quality across the country and deliver a better future, quicker for all.
This is alongside Project PACE, an innovative trial we’re delivering in strategic partnership with Transport Scotland and working closely with North and South Lanarkshire Councils, to install up to 180 public EV chargers across over 40 EV charging hubs throughout Lanarkshire. We utilised our extensive knowledge of our electricity network and customers and worked collaboratively with local stakeholders to identify the optimal locations for the community EV charging hubs. The EV chargers at Muirfield Community Centre, Cumbernauld will be used by CACE to charge their new electric buses.
Guy Jefferson, Chief Operating Officer at SP Energy Networks, said: “Helping communities build their own green economy and establish low carbon infrastructure is at the heart of our Green Economy Fund. We are proud to have provided funding for Cumbernauld Action for Care of the Elderly to purchase two 100% electric minibuses, which will be used to support vulnerable, disadvantaged and elderly people across the region to access vital appointments and community activities, while also helping to improve the air quality in the region. This is alongside Project PACE, an innovative trial delivered by SP Energy Networks in strategic partnership with Transport Scotland and working closely with North and South Lanarkshire Councils, to install up to 180 public EV chargers across over 40 EV charging hubs throughout Lanarkshire. Together, these represent a notable contribution to the electrification of transport, which will be critical to reaching net zero ambitions.”
Eddie Dunlop, at Cumbernauld Action on Care of the Elderly, said: "We are thrilled with our new all electric minibuses thanks to funding from SP Energy Networks’ Green Economy Fund. This will be transformational, not only in terms of the environment, but also for the social impact it will have as it assists with our long-term plan to provide vital transport services to the vulnerable communities of North Lanarkshire.”
To find out more about the Green Economy Fund and the projects it supports, click here.